Authors: David Silva ¹ ; Ronaldo Gabriel ¹ ; Maria Moreira ¹ ; João Abrantes ² and Aurélio Faria ³

Affiliations: ¹ University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Portugal ; ² University Lusófona of Humanities and Technologies, Portugal ; ³ University of Beira Interior, Portugal

Keyword(s): plantar pressure, gait.

Related Ontology Subjects/Areas/Topics: Gait and Posture ; Signal Processing and Motor Behavior ; Sport Science Research and Technology

Abstract: Background: There is a lack of studies that evaluate the effect of stepping over obstacles during walking despite its frequent occurrence during daily activities which also induce important modifications in foot behaviour. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare, the temporal characteristics of foot roll-over between the following tasks: (SAT) walking straightforward; and (OT) walking forward stepping over obstacles. Methods: Thirty-one postmenopausal women participated in this study. Plantar pressure parameters were evaluated for the trailing foot by a Footscan platform using the two-step protocol. The height of the obstacle to overcome was 30% of leg length. The initial contact (IC), final contact (FC) and duration of contact time (DC) was obtained for 10 anatomical pressure areas during foot roll-over. Five instants and four phases of foot roll-over were determined. T-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed during statistical analysis. Results: In OT the foot co ntact duration was longer. The IC (areas: MF, M5-M1, T2-5 and T1) the FC of T1 and the FMC and FFF occurred significantly earlier in OT. The FC (regions: M5-M1) occurred significantly later in OT. The DC (areas: M5-M1, T2-5 and T1) was significantly superior in OT and the duration of the ICP phase was shorter. Conclusion: During OT the trailing foot had longer contact duration, this can be explained by the time required to generate sufficient vertical impulse to overcome the obstacle by the leading foot. Differences were also found between tasks in some foot areas for IC, FC and DC. Such differences could be related to trail limb’s role, which demands a stable support for the leading limb and an increase of vertical (More)