Distracted Walking

NewsBot · Dec 3, 2015

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Press Release:
Distracted walking: a serious issue for you, not me
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons releases study on distracted walking perceptions, behaviors; offers tips for pedestrians to stay injury-free and engaged during busy holiday season

ROSEMONT, Ill.?A new study on distracted walking released today by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) finds that more than three quarters (78 percent) of U.S. adults believe that distracted walking is a ?serious? issue; however, 74 percent of Americans say ?other people? are usually or always walking while distracted, while only 29 percent say the same about themselves.

This sense of ?it?s not me, it?s you? cuts across a range of distracted walking behaviors: ?90 percent say they see walkers talking on the phone (and 37 percent admit doing so themselves)
?88 percent are engaging in conversation (vs. 75 percent themselves)
?88 percent are listening to music (vs. 34 percent themselves)
?85 percent are using a smartphone (vs. 28 percent themselves)
?64 percent are generally ?zoning out,? or not focused on walking (vs. 38 percent themselves)
Despite the obvious risks associated with distracted walking, as many believe it is ?embarrassing in a silly way? as feel it is ?dangerous? (46 percent). Furthermore, 31 percent say distracted walking is ?something I?m likely to do? and 22 percent think distracted walking is ?funny,? according to the study conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs during October 2015.

?Today, the dangers of the ?digital deadwalker? are growing with more and more pedestrians falling down stairs, tripping over curbs, bumping into other walkers, or stepping into traffic causing a rising number of injuries?from scrapes and bruises to sprains and fractures,? said Alan Hilibrand, MD, AAOS spokesperson. Emergency department hospital visits for injuries involving distracted pedestrians on cell phones more than doubled between 2004 and 2010, according to a 2013 study appearing in the journal Accident, Analysis & Prevention.

The AAOS research, which involved more than 2,000 respondents nationally and another 4,000, total, in select urban areas, found that nearly four out of 10 Americans say they have personally witnessed a distracted walking incident, and just over a quarter (26 percent) say they have been in an incident themselves.

? Of those injured, women age 55 and over are most likely to suffer serious injuries, while Millennials, ages 18-34, are least likely to be injured while walking distracted, despite reporting higher rates of distracted walking incidents.
? The perceptions of distracted walking also differ by generation, with 70 percent of Millennials believing that distracted walking is a serious issue compared to 81 percent of those age 35 and older. Half of Millennials think distracted walking is ?embarrassing ? in a funny way.?
? Millennials are more likely to engage in common distracted walking behaviors than older people are: texting, listening to music and talking on the phone.
? More Americans view distracted driving and impaired driving as ?very? or ?somewhat serious? ? 96 and 95 percent, respectively.

Can we talk and walk at the same time?
One of challenges in combatting distracted walking may be that Americans are overly confident in their ability to multitask. When asked why they walk distracted, 48 percent of respondents say ?they just don?t think about it,? 28 percent feel ?they can walk and do other things,? and 22 percent ?are busy and want to use their time productively.?

Among distracted walking behaviors, 75 percent of respondents say they themselves ?usually/always? or ?sometimes? have ?active conversations? with another person they are walking with, making this the most common distracted walking behavior people admit to doing themselves.

Perceptions vary by city, region
Additionally, 500 people were surveyed in eight markets: New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Phoenix, Seattle, Philadelphia and Atlanta. Among those findings: ?Among these eight markets, New York City residents are most likely to view distracted walking as a serious issue (86 percent), and Seattle residents were least likely to view the issue as serious (77 percent).
?New Yorkers are more likely to say they personally walk distracted (39 percent) than walkers living in the other cities.
?Residents of Chicago and Philadelphia are most likely to see distracted walking as ?dangerous? (49 percent), while those in Houston were the least likely to think it?s dangerous (40 percent).

Walk safely, especially during this busy holiday season
Earlier this year, AAOS launched the ?Digital Deadwalkers? public service announcement (PSA) campaign, featuring radio and television segments, airing through the end of 2016 throughout the U.S., that humorously but effectively highlight the dangers of distracted walking, while urging pedestrians to ?engage!?

The AAOS also offers the following tips to help pedestrians stay injury free, when walking indoors and outdoors, especially during this busy holiday season: ?If you must use headphones or other electronic devices, maintain a volume where you can still hear the sounds of traffic and your surroundings.
?While you walk, focus on the people, as well as the objects and obstacles in front of and around you.
?Don't jaywalk. Cross streets carefully, preferably at a traffic light, remaining cognizant of the pedestrian traffic flow and the cars and bikes in and near the road.
?Look up, not down, especially when stepping off or onto curbs or in the middle of major intersections; and/or when walking or approaching on stairs or escalators.
?Traffic can be especially busy during the holidays?stay alert in mall and other parking lots, and on and near streets, especially during the winter months when it gets dark earlier.
?If you need to talk to a child or the person next to you, make a phone call, text or other action that could distract you from the goal of getting where you need to go safely, stop and do so away from the pedestrian traffic flow.
?The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons urges pedestrians to avoid musculoskeletal and other injuries by engaging with their surroundings?drivers, bikers, other walkers and obstacles,? said Dr. Hilibrand. ?Many of us simply need to force ourselves to set down our devices and focus on what?s in front of and around us. This will ensure that we safely arrive at our destination, during this busy holiday season and throughout the year.?

More information on distracted walking can be found at: OrthoInfo.org/DistractedPedestrians.
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NewsBot · Dec 20, 2015

The reliability of local dynamic stability in walking while texting and performing an arithmetical problem
Dennis Hamacher et al
Gait and Posture; Article in Press

Highlights
•Local dynamic stability of human walking was frequently used to quantify motor control during gait.
•We assessed the reliability of local dynamic stability in walking while texting a short message.
•Local dynamic stability of walking while cell phone texting can be reliably collected.
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In the recent years, local dynamic stability of walking was frequently used to quantify motor control. Particularly, dual-task paradigms are used to assess a shift in gait control strategy to test walking in real life situations. Texting short messages while walking is a common motor-cognitive dual task of daily living. To able to monitor possible intervention effects on motor-cognitive dual-task performance, the test-retest reliability of the measure has to be evaluated. Since the reliability of the effects of cognitive tasks including texting while walking on local dynamic gait stability has not been assessed yet, this will be evaluated in the current study. Eleven young individuals were included. Gait data was registered twice (test-retest interval: seven days) using an inertial sensor fixed on the subjects’ trunks in three conditions: normal walking, walking while texting a message and walking while reciting serials of 7. Short-term finite maximum Lyapunov Exponents were quantified to assess local dynamic stability. The test-retest reliability was calculated using Intra-class correlation coefficients and Bland and Altman Plots (Bias and Limits of Agreement). ICC values of the current study show that in normal walking and walking while texting, outcomes are comparable and indicate mostly good to excellent reliability. The reliability values were almost always the lowest in walking while reciting serials of 7. Local dynamic stability derived from kinematic data of walking while cell phone texting can be reliably collected and, in turn, be used as an outcome measure in clinical trials with repeated measures design.
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NewsBot · May 19, 2016

Does texting while walking really affect gait in young adults?
Agostini V et al
J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2015 Sep 22;12:86

BACKGROUND:
Texting on a smartphone while walking has become a customary task among young adults. In recent literature many safety concerns on distracted walking have been raised. It is often hypothesized that the allocation of attentional resources toward a secondary task can influence dynamic stability. In the double task of walking and texting it was found that gait speed is reduced, but there is scarce evidence of a modified motor control strategy compromising stability. The aim of this study is twofold: 1) to comprehensively examine the gait modifications occurring when texting while walking, including the study of the lower limb muscle activation patterns, 2) to specifically assess the co-contraction of ankle antagonist muscles. We hypothesized that texting while walking increases co-contractions of ankle antagonist muscles when the body weight is transferred from one lower limb to the other, to improve the distal motor control and joint stabilization.
METHODS:
From the gait data collected during an instrumented walk lasting 3 min, we calculated the spatio-temporal parameters, the ankle and knee kinematics, the muscle activation patterns of tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius lateralis, peroneus longus, rectus femoris, and lateral hamstrings, and the co-contraction (occurrence and duration) of the ankle antagonist muscles (tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius lateralis), bilaterally.
RESULTS:
Young adults showed, overall, small gait modifications that could be mainly ascribable to gait speed reduction and a modified body posture due to phone handling. We found no significant alterations of ankle and knee kinematics and a slightly delayed activation onset of the left gastrocnemius lateralis. However, we found an increased co-contraction of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius lateralis, especially during mid-stance. Conversely, we found a reduced co-contraction during terminal stance.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our results suggest that, in young adults, there is an adjustment of the motor control strategy aimed at increasing ankle joint stability in a specific and "critical" phase of the gait cycle, when the body weight is transferred from one leg to the other.
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NewsBot · Jul 18, 2016

Cellular Telephone Dialing Influences Kinematic and Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Healthy Adults
Kelly M. Seymour et al
Journal of Motor Behavior

Gait speed is typically reduced when individuals simultaneously perform other tasks. However, the impact of dual tasking on kinetic and kinematic gait parameters is unclear because these vary with gait speed. The objective of this study was to identify whether dual tasking impacts gait in healthy adults when speed is constant. Twenty-two healthy adults dialed a cell phone during treadmill walking at a self-selected speed while kinetic, kinematic, and spatial parameters were recorded. Results indicated that dual tasking did not impact phone dialing speed, but increased stride width, peak knee flexion during stance, and peak plantarflexion, and decreased knee and ankle range of motion. Dual tasking appears to influence kinematic gait variables in a manner consistent with promotion of stability.
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NewsBot · Aug 26, 2017

Can receiving a phone call alter a person's gait?
Curran, M. and Martin, L.
Invited Presentation presented to: International Association for Identification (IAI) International Educational Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., 07-11 August 2017.

Three participants comprising of 2 females and 1 male were filmed walking 48 meters on a clear concrete footpath at the University of Northampton sports grounds, whilst reciting the alphabet (repeatedly). A footpath was selected so that it would reflect a real-life situation, as well as controlling safety for all participants. At 24 meters participants were asked to turn and walk back the same distance towards the camera to capture both angles of participants for analysis purposes, therefore capturing participants’ oblique to the line of progression. Filming was performed on the same hand-held device. Once filming was completed, footage was uploaded on to a laptop to produce a viewing platform for gait analysis by thirty third-year podiatry students. On a one-to-one basis, a total of six videos were shown, all less than one minute, which equalled two videos per walking participant (one without phone and one with phone). The average time spent on completing the task was one hour. The podiatry students could stop and slow down participants’ gait, allowing them to accurately visualise foot placements and base of gait. A forensic gait analysis form devised by Birch and used in forensic casework was used to undertake a thematic analysis for 19 stages of gait identified on the form. The analysis found that when recieving a phone call, gait was altered in 12 out of the 19 stages found on the form.
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NewsBot · Sep 20, 2017

The influence of divided attention on walking turns: effects on gait control in young adults with and without a history of low back pain
Jo Armour Smith et al
Article in Press; Gait and Posture

Highlights
•We investigated the effects of divided attention during walking turns
•We compared healthy adults to asymptomatic adults with a history of low back pain
•Turn performance consistency improved with divided attention in healthy adults only
•Changes in cognitive control of gait persist between painful episodes
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The cognitive control of gait is altered in individuals with low back pain, but it is unclear if this alteration persists between painful episodes. Locomotor perturbations such as walking turns may provide a sensitive measure of gait adaptation during divided attention in young adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in gait during turns performed with divided attention, and to compare healthy young adults with asymptomatic individuals who have a history of recurrent low back pain (rLBP). Twenty-eight participants performed 90° ipsilateral walking turns at a controlled speed of 1.5 m/s. During the divided attention condition they concurrently performed a verbal 2-back task. Step length and width, trunk-pelvis and hip excursion, inter-segmental coordination and stride-to-stride variability were quantified using motion capture. Mixed-model ANOVA were used to examine the effect of divided attention and group, and interaction effects on the selected variables. Step length variability decreased significantly with divided attention in the healthy group but not in the rLBP group (post-hoc p = 0.024). Inter-segmental coordination variability was significantly decreased during divided attention (main effect of condition p < 0.000). There were small but significant reductions in hip axial and sagittal motion across groups (main effect of condition p = 0.044 and p = 0.040 respectively), and a trend toward increased frontal motion in the rLBP group only (post-hoc p = 0.048). These findings suggest that the ability to switch attentional resources during gait is altered in young adults with a history of rLBP, even between symptomatic episodes.
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NewsBot · Apr 14, 2018

Specific smartphone usage and cognitive performance affect gait characteristics during free-living and treadmill walking.
Niederer D et al
Gait Posture. 2018 Apr 6;62:415-421

BACKGROUND:
Mobile phone tasks like texting, typing, and dialling during walking are known to impact gait characteristics. Beyond that, the effects of performing smartphone-typical actions like researching and taking self-portraits (selfie) on gait have not been investigated yet.

RESEARCH QUESTION:
We aimed to investigate the effects of smartphone usage on relevant gait characteristics and to reveal potential association of basic cognitive and walking plus smartphone dual-task abilities.

METHODS:
Our cross-sectional, cross-over study on physically active, healthy participants was performed on two days, interrupted by a 24-h washout in between. Assessments were: 1) Cognitive testing battery consisting of the trail making test (TMT A and B) and the Stroop test 2) Treadmill walking under five smartphone usage conditions: no use (control condition), reading, dialling, internet searching and taking a selfie in randomized order. Kinematic and kinetic gait characteristics were assessed to estimate conditions influence.

RESULTS:
In our sample of 36 adults (24.6 ± 1 years, 23 female, 13 male), ANCOVAs followed by post-hoc t-tests revealed that smartphone usage impaired all tested gait characteristics: gait speed (decrease, all conditions): F = 54.7, p < 0.001; cadence (increase, all): F = 38.3, p < 0.001; double stride length (decrease, all): F = 33.8, p < 0.001; foot external rotation (increase during dialling, researching, selfie): F = 16.7, p < 0.001; stride length variability (increase): F = 11.7, p < 0.001; step width variability (increase): F = 5.3, p < 0.001; step width (Friedmann test and Wilcoxon Bonferroni-Holm-corrected post-hoc analyses, increase): Z = -2.3 to -2.9; p < 0.05); plantar pressure proportion (increase during reading and researching) (Z = -2.9; p < 0.01). The ability to keep usual gait quality during smartphone usage was systematically associated with the TMT B time regarding cadence and double stride length for reading (r = -0.37), dialling (r = -0.35) and taking a selfie (r = -0.34).

SIGNIFICANCE:
Smartphone usage substantially impacts walking characteristics in most situations. Changes of gait patterns indicate higher cognitive loads and lower awareness.
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NewsBot · May 2, 2023

The influence of altered foot placement and cognitive load on balance control during walking in healthy young adults
Gabriella H Small et al
Gait Posture. 2023 Apr 6

Background: Clinical populations often walk with altered foot placement, which can adversely affect balance control. However, it is unknown how balance control during walking is influenced when combining a cognitive load with altered foot placement.

Research question: Is balance control during walking adversely affected by the combination of a more complex motor task, such as walking with altered foot placements, with a cognitive load?

Methods: Fifteen young healthy adults walked on a treadmill with and without a spelling cognitive load during normal walking, with step width targets (self-selected width, narrow, wide and extra wide), or with step length targets (self-selected length, short and long).

Results: Cognitive performance, measured by correct spelling response rate, decreased from self-selected (2.407 ± 0.6 letters/s) to the extra wide width (2.011 ± 0.5 letters/s). The addition of the cognitive load caused a decrease in frontal plane balance control across all step lengths (15% change) and at the wider step widths (16% change), but only caused a slight decrease in the sagittal plane for the short step length (6.8% change).

Significance: These results suggest that when combining a cognitive load with walking at non-self-selected widths, a threshold exists at wider steps where attentional resources become insufficient and balance control and cognitive performance decrease. Because decreased balance control increases the risk of falling, these results have implications for clinical populations who often walk with wider steps. Furthermore, the lack of changes to sagittal plane balance during altered step length dual-tasks further supports that frontal plane balance requires more active control.
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Distracted Walking

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Toe Separator in Standing and Walking Balance in Individuals with Bilateral Hallux Valgus

Heel's Dissipative Energetic Behavior Affect Its Thermodynamic Responses During Walking

AFO's to improve walking distance in those with PVD

Jones fracture - walking on heel?

Abnormal Gait Patterns and an Elevated Degree of Pain after Daily Walking

Gait while walking with an intravenous pole

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Distracted Walking

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Barefoot walking is more stable in the gait of balance recovery in older adults

Toe Separator in Standing and Walking Balance in Individuals with Bilateral Hallux Valgus

Heel's Dissipative Energetic Behavior Affect Its Thermodynamic Responses During Walking

AFO's to improve walking distance in those with PVD

Jones fracture - walking on heel?

Abnormal Gait Patterns and an Elevated Degree of Pain after Daily Walking

Gait while walking with an intravenous pole

Share This Page

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