Abstract
Introduction: Conversating during walking is an everyday multitask activity, if compromised may lead to gait instability or a fall. This study aims to examine the dual tasking effects of conversating while walking on gait performance conducted in a virtual reality environment. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited thirty healthy individuals (27.3 ± 5.7 years, 23 males) through a purposive sampling method. They completed two sessions of three-minute tasks on an instrumented dual-belt treadmill: silent walking (ST) and conversational dual-tasking (DTC) in a Real-Time Gait Analysis Lab, Cardiff University. The gait speed, stride length, and step width between ST and DTC were compared using a two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (RM ANOVA), with a p-value of 0.05. Results: The results of this study showed a significant (Cond x phase) interaction effect on gait speed, stride length, and step width (p<0.05), respectively. In contrast, no significant (Cond) main effect was found on any gait parameters (p>0.05). Conclusion: Conversating while walking may influence gait performance, possibly through the extrinsic focus of attentiveness in healthy adults.
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