Differences in gait parameters between supervised laboratory and unsupervised daily assessments of healthy adults measured with an in-shoe motion sensor system

Abstract

This cross-sectional study compared the gait parameters between supervised laboratory and unsupervised daily life assessments in healthy adults. Gait was evaluated in 24 healthy young adults during 72 h of daily life and a 6-min laboratory gait at a comfortable speed. An in-shoe motion sensor system recorded gait data every 2 min, automatically detected stable gait segments by identifying repetitive movement patterns, and calculated the average of three consecutive valid gait cycles during each measurement period. Significant differences were found in walking speed (stride length divided by stride time; laboratory: 4.60 km/h vs. daily-life: 4.38 km/h), maximum (peak) dorsiflexion angle (laboratory: 29.71° vs. daily-life: 26.65°), maximum (peak) plantar flexion angle (laboratory: 74.54° vs. daily-life: 71.91°), roll angle of heel contact (laboratory: 7.46° vs. daily-life: 6.70°), maximum speed during the swing phase (laboratory: 14.49 km/h vs. daily-life: 12.68 km/h), circumduction (lateral displacement during the swing phase; laboratory: 2.68 cm vs. daily-life: 3.69 cm), toe-in/out angle (laboratory: 13.87° vs. daily-life: 15.32°), stance time (laboratory: 0.62 s vs. daily-life: 0.65 s), and pushing time (time between heel leaving and toe leaving the ground; laboratory: 0.20 s vs. daily-life: 0.21 s). The innovative aspect of this study is the comprehensive evaluation of foot-related gait parameters in real-world environments using an in-shoe motion sensor system. This approach provides ecologically valid insights into gait dynamics during daily activities, emphasizing the importance of real-world assessments for accurately evaluating gait performance and predicting adverse events such as falls. Keywords: Gait, Foot, Laboratory, Daily Life, Unsupervised Assessment, Shoe Motion Sensors.