Derek N Pamukoff1, Robert I Dudley2, Michael N Vakula2, J Troy Blackburn3. 1. Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, 92831, USA. Electronic address: dpamukoff@fullerton.edu. 2. Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, 92831, USA. 3. Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Curriculum in Human Movement Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Department of Orthopedics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Obesity is considered a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis (OA) in part due to its influence on gait biomechanics. The heel strike transient (HST) is a characteristic of the ground reaction force that is indicative of a high rate of loading, but has not been evaluated in obese adults. OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of HST in obese compared to normal weight adults. METHODS: 15 normal-weight (males=7, age=20.4±2.1years, body mass index=21.6±1.3kg/m(2)) and 15 obese (males=7, age=21.2±1.9years, body mass index=33.5±4.3kg/m(2)) young adults completed 10 walking trials at a standardized speed and 10 trials at a self-selected speed while ground reaction force data were sampled. HST incidence was evaluated using a dichotomous method previously identified in the literature, and compared between groups using χ(2) analyses. RESULTS: The number of individuals classified as possessing the HST differed between the obese and normal-weight groups (8/15 vs. 3/15, p=0.047). Evaluation of the standardized residuals indicated a significantly greater than expected incidence of the HST in the obese group when walking at a standardized speed. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that a greater proportion of obese compared to normal weight participants displayed a HST. The HST may provide a dichotomous method for identifying individuals with aberrant gait biomechanics.
BACKGROUND: Obesity is considered a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis (OA) in part due to its influence on gait biomechanics. The heel strike transient (HST) is a characteristic of the ground reaction force that is indicative of a high rate of loading, but has not been evaluated in obese adults. OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of HST in obese compared to normal weight adults. METHODS: 15 normal-weight (males=7, age=20.4±2.1years, body mass index=21.6±1.3kg/m(2)) and 15 obese (males=7, age=21.2±1.9years, body mass index=33.5±4.3kg/m(2)) young adults completed 10 walking trials at a standardized speed and 10 trials at a self-selected speed while ground reaction force data were sampled. HST incidence was evaluated using a dichotomous method previously identified in the literature, and compared between groups using χ(2) analyses. RESULTS: The number of individuals classified as possessing the HST differed between the obese and normal-weight groups (8/15 vs. 3/15, p=0.047). Evaluation of the standardized residuals indicated a significantly greater than expected incidence of the HST in the obese group when walking at a standardized speed. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that a greater proportion of obese compared to normal weight participants displayed a HST. The HST may provide a dichotomous method for identifying individuals with aberrant gait biomechanics.
Authors: Amy R Lane; Matthew S Harkey; Hope C Davis; Brittney A Luc-Harkey; Laura Stanley; Anthony C Hackney; J Troy Blackburn; Brian Pietrosimone Journal: J Athl Train Date: 2019-03-04 Impact factor: 2.860