Influence of Carrying Unstable Load on Thoracic Kinematics While Walking on a Curved Path

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of carrying unstable load on thoracic kinematics while walking on a curved path. Three-dimensional spinal kinematics were defined as the rotations between thoracic and the Virtual laboratory coordinate system (Tho/Virtual lab) which consisted of lateral bending (LB), flexion/extension (FE) and axial rotation (AR) in the frontal plane, sagittal plane and transverse plane, respectively. Eight healthy young adults (4 males and 4 females) performed loads carrying and walking on one meter radius curved path. Spinal kinematics was determined at the left leg heel strike and just before the right toe off during the curved path walking. As a result, a significant main effect of load intensity was found only on FE of (Tho/Virtual lab) at both left leg heel strike and right leg toe off. The study concluded that an increase in the load intensity of unstable load from 10% of body weight likely to generate more thorax extension.