Influence of Load Carriage on the Gait Characteristics of the Obese.

Abstract

Background:Gait mechanism due to overloaded weight of the obese may be altered, but yet uncertain whether an added loaded weight on body weight can alter or not gait characteristics.Methods:We applied with 0 kg (no load), 5 kg, 10 kg, and 15 kg of the load carriage respectively on the obese (n=11) to grasp a mechanism on the control of impact types and dynamic stability during gait. Gait characteristics was analyzed with three-dimensional cinematography and ground reaction force system consisted of a length of 1 stride, mean velocity of center of gravity during supporting phase, breaking force, propulsive force, dynamic posture stability index (DPSI), and extrapolated centre of mass (XCoM) respectively. We performed repeated measures one-way analysis of variance (0 kg, 5 kg, 10 kg, and 15 kg) and performed the post hoc test (Duncan) at (P<0.05) in case of significant level respectively.Results:Onestride length and mean velocity were decreased according to gradual increase of a load carriage, but breaking and propulsive force were somewhat increased. Particularly a decrease of gait velocity and stride length kept the range for DPSI and XCoM theta of a level of no-load carriage.Conclusion:Usually load carriage during prolonged time of the obese is few case, but rather a load carriage of 5 kg may alter a gait posture potentially with prolonged time of load carriage.