Determine the kinematics and kinetics parameters associated with bilateral gait patterns among healthy, overweight, and obese adults

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Biomechanical analysis of gait is important to obtain information regarding the lower limb impairments and dysfunction during locomotion. This study aimed to determine the potential difference among healthy, overweight, and obese participants and their impact on gait parameters by observing the kinematic and kinetics parameters. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with forty (15 healthy, 12 overweight, 13 obese) male participants. All participants were non-smokers, and their physical activity level was 7000±2142 steps per day. Participants anthropometric characteristics were age: 21.57±1.46 years; height: 173.63±6.43 cm, body mass: 86.15±23.36 kg., body mass index (BMI): 28.57±7.68 kg/m(2), body fat: 29.93±9.44%. A bioelectrical impedance device was used to determine participants’ body composition and health status. A portable pressure sensor mat (Walkway) from Tekscan was used to measure bilateral gait parameters kinematically and kinetically. A one-way analysis of variance was used to determine the differences between groups. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between healthy, overweight, and obese participants for different bilateral gait’s kinematic and kinetic parameters such as cadence, gait velocity, step time, step length, step velocity, step width, stride time, stride length, stride velocity, maximum force, maximum peak pressure, active propulsion, and passive propulsion except for impulse at .05 level of significance. CONCLUSIONS: The finding shows that gait’s kinematics and kinetics parameters were affected by the BMI status. Current research suggests that increased body weight interferes with normal musculoskeletal function via a range of kinematic and kinetic deficits. More research is required to understand the structural and functional restrictions imposed by overweight and obese individuals. (www.actabiomedica.it)