People Walking Research Articles

How accessibility to neighborhood grocery stores is related to older people's walking behavior: A study of Yokohama, Japan

IntroductionPromoting a walkable environment is a prime concern for aging societies, including Japan. This study focuses on the daily shopping environment of older adults in Yokohama City and analyzes the association between their daily step counts and spatial accessibility to grocery stores. We aim to discover a reasonable distance to and the spatial configuration of fundamental amenities that enhances the physical activity of older people. MethodsThe accessibility of grocery stores was measured by two factors: the shortest-path distance on a street network to the nearest supermarkets from participants’ dwellings and the proximity to specialized food shops from supermarkets. The former is treated as accessibility to anchor stores, and the latter reflects the diversity of destinations. We compare the differences in daily step counts among various groups using two-way ANOVA based on the two factors. ResultsLiving at a middle distance (500 m) from the nearest supermarkets and high destination diversity would help to increase older women's daily walking, whereas these factors are not related to men's daily walking. The map of the distance to the nearest supermarket disclosed the disadvantaged area with respect to the accessibility of grocery stores. ConclusionsThe association between women's walking and shopping environment can be attributed to multidestination trips and the increased attractiveness of locations near supermarkets. Our research findings partially contribute to promoting a walkable city.

Cortical activation during imagined walking for people with lower limb loss: a pilot study.

Each year in Canada, a substantial number of adults undergo limb amputation, with lower limb amputation (LLA) the most prevalent. Enhancing walking ability is crucial for optimizing rehabilitation outcomes, promoting participation, and facilitating community reintegration. Overcoming challenges during the acute post-amputation phase and sub-acute rehabilitation necessitates alternative approaches, such as motor imagery and mental practice, to maximize rehabilitation success. However, the current evidence on activation patterns using motor imagery in individuals with LLA is limited. The primary objective was to assess the feasibility of observing brain activation during imagined walking in individuals with LLA utilizing 3T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Eight individuals with LLA and 11 control subjects participated. Consistent with representations of the lower limbs, both control and amputee groups demonstrated bilateral activation in the medial surface of the primary motor and somatosensory cortices. However, individuals with lower limb amputations exhibited significantly greater activation during imagined walking, particularly in frontal regions and the medial surface of the primary motor and supplementary motor cortices. Furthermore, the volume of activation in the bilateral primary motor cortices was higher for participants with amputations compared to controls. The protocol developed in this study establishes a foundation for evaluating the effects of a gait training program that incorporates mental imagery alongside conventional rehabilitation practices, in contrast to standard care alone. This pilot investigation holds potential to enhance our understanding of brain plasticity in individuals with LLA and pave the way for more effective rehabilitation strategies to optimize functional recovery and community reintegration.

Liveability for older residents in regional communities through the lens of walkability and attitudes to nature – a case study in northeast Victoria, Australia

ABSTRACT Liveability is determined by characteristics of a place including walkability and access to natural environments. These two attributes can be quantified at a fine spatial scale providing insights into liveability. Most liveability studies focus on metropolitan areas, and we identified a research gap in regional liveability research. Using a case study on two towns in Indigo Shire in regional Victoria and focusing on older residents, we examined walkability and access to and attitudes about the natural environment. We found that opportunities for walking in regional towns can be limited, and that only a small number of older people walk regularly. Despite being largely surrounded by nature in regional towns, connection to nature and sense of community is sometimes lacking. In addition, measures of walkability and access to natural environments designed to be used in metropolitan environments do not translate well to regional areas. However, the data and insights gathered in this research helped build a context-specific understanding of liveability in each community and allowed us to provide useful recommendations to local government. While these recommendations are specific to the study area, the methodologies used, and insights gained are applicable to regional and rural towns in a wide range of contexts.

Outlier bias: AI classification of curb ramps, outliers, and context

Technologies in the smart city, such as autonomous vehicles and delivery robots, promise to increase the mobility and freedom of people with disabilities. These technologies have also failed to “see” or comprehend wheelchair riders, people walking with service animals, and people walking with bicycles—all outliers to machine learning models. Big data and algorithms have been amply critiqued for their biases—harmful and systematic errors—but the harms that arise from AI's inherent inability to handle nuance, context, and exception have been largely overlooked. In this paper, I run two machine learning models across nine cities in the United States to attempt to fill a gap in data about the location of curb ramps. I find that while curb ramp prediction models may achieve up to 88% accuracy, the rate of accuracy varied in context in ways both predictable and unpredictable. I look closely at cases of unpredictable error (outlier bias), by triangulating with aerial and street view imagery. The sampling of cases shows that while it may be possible to conjecture about patterns in these errors, there is nothing clearly systematic. While more data and bigger models might improve the accuracy somewhat, I propose that a bias toward outliers is something fundamental to machine learning models which gravitate to the mean and require unbiased and not missing data. I conclude by arguing that universal design or design for the outliers is imperative for justice in the smart city where algorithms and data are increasingly embedded as infrastructure.

Impaired foot vibration sensitivity is related to altered plantar pressures during walking in people with multiple sclerosis

Balance and mobility impairment are two of the most common and debilitating symptoms among people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Somatosensory symptoms, including reduced plantar cutaneous sensation, have been identified in this cohort. Given the importance of the somatosensory system in gait, it is likely that impaired plantar sensation may play a role in the walking adaptations commonly observed in people with MS, including decreased stride length and increased stride width and dual support time, often described as a cautious gait strategy. Understanding the contributions of plantar sensation to these alterations may provide targets for interventions that seek to improve sensory feedback and normalize gait patterns. This cross-sectional study determined whether individuals with MS who demonstrate reduced sensitivity of the plantar surfaces also demonstrate altered plantar pressure distributions during walking compared to a control cohort.Twenty individuals with MS and twenty age- and sex-matched control participants walked barefoot at preferred and three matched speeds. Participants walked across a walkway with an embedded pressure plate used to quantify pressures within ten plantar zones. In addition, vibration perception thresholds were assessed at four sites on the plantar surface.Individuals with MS demonstrated increased peak total plantar pressures compared to control participants, that increased with walking speed. For the MS group, plantar pressures were higher on the less sensitive foot, although pressures on both feet exceeded those of the control cohort. Positive correlations between vibration perception threshold and peak total pressure were evident, although generally stronger in the MS cohort.A relationship between plantar vibration sensitivity and pressure could indicate that individuals with MS seek to increase plantar sensory feedback during walking. However, because proprioception may also be impaired, increased plantar pressure could result from inaccurate foot placement. Interventions targeting improved somatosensation may have the potential to normalize gait patterns and should be investigated.

Muscle Coactivation Index during Walking in People with Multiple Sclerosis with Mild Disability, a Cross-Sectional Study.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by axonal degeneration and demyelination. Changes in gait, related to joint kinematics and kinetics, especially at the ankle and knee, have been observed in people with MS (pwMS). Muscle coactivation plays an important role in joint stabilization; however, excessive coactivation may interfere with gait. The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in muscle activation during gait in pwMS compared to healthy individuals. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving pwMS and healthy controls. Surface electromyography was used to record muscle activity during gait. The main outcome measures were the coactivation index (CI) and the area under the curve (AUC), which were calculated for several pairs of lower extremity muscles. Nine pwMS and nine healthy controls were included. When comparing the MS group to the control group, the AUC was significantly higher in the lateral gastrocnemius (p = 0.023) and the CI for the lateral gastrocnemius-anterior tibialis (p = 0.022) and gluteus maximus-lateral gastrocnemius (p = 0.047). Mildly affected pwMS have altered muscle coactivation patterns during gait, especially in the most affected limb. The results highlight the importance of muscle coactivation in pwMS and its possible role in the early detection of gait abnormalities.

TRAFFIC FLOW IDENTITY IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE CITY

The movement of a traffic flow along city highways is described by the movement of waves of speed, intensity and density, the equations and characteristics of which allow solving applied problems of traffic control, designing city highways and street-road networks and assessing the quality of existing traffic in cities.
 On the routes (sidewalks) there are flows of people (pedestrian flows) walking, on the streets and roads there are flows of cars (car flows), in public transport passengers are combined into passenger flows. These are flow systems that are modeled by a tetrahedron of states, but have their own identity: their flow units (car or step sizes), their travel distance, their travel time.
 For the qualitative restoration of Ukrainian cities, the identity of transport and pedestrian flows is revealed in comparison with different flow systems. The physical essence of traffic flows, their characteristics and interrelations in time and space are revealed. The simulation was based on the theory of state graphs, which made it possible to establish new characteristics of urban flows, such as traffic intensity, specific intensity, passability, traffic inertia, transience, road and transport potentials, exergy and flow power. The throughput capacity of the highway lane, ways to increase it and reduce congestion are determined.

Effectiveness of long-term physical rehabilitation to improve balance and locomotion in older people with Parkinson's disease

Walking and balance alterations are critical to address in older adults living with Parkinson's Disease (PD). These alterations negatively impact activities of daily life, decrease the quality of life and increase the risk of falls. Objective: Analyse the effectiveness of different long-term exercise interventions to improve walking and balance parameters in people aged over 60 years with PD. Methods: Experimental studies from the last 10 years collected from 5 databases (PEDro, PubMed, WOS and EBSCO) were analysed. PEDro scale was used to analyse the quality of the studies, and the result shown in the studies was contrasted with the minimal detectable change (MDC). Results: From 413 studies, a total of 7 RCTs and 2 pilot studies were included in the analysis. The range of age was 65.8 ± 10.7 and 73.59 ± 7.93 years. The duration of the disease was 5 to 15 years. The methodological quality ranged from "good" to "excellent". Conclusions: More significant clinical effect in PD population was obtained after interventions that included: high-intensity strength training, progressive increase of resistance, aerobic exercise, and walking and balance training.

Walking activity increases physical abilities and subjective health in people with seven different types of disabilities.

People with disabilities have a great risk of physical inactivity, which causes several diseases, dependency, and long-term care. Walking helps to increase physical activity, which leads to better overall health and independence. However, less research attention has focused on walking for people with disabilities, and even fewer studies have been considered for different types of disabilities. The present study aimed to demonstrate how walking distance was associated with people with seven different types of disabilities- including visual, hearing, physical/mobility, intellectual, learning, autism, and emotional/behavioral disabilities-in terms of their physical abilities and subjective health. A total of 378 participants (aged 13-65) were gathered from seven national organizations in Thailand. A survey questionnaire on aspects of physical abilities (i.e., walking distance or manually rolling wheelchair distance; body balance; weightlifting; exercise duration and frequency); and subjective health (i.e., health status and satisfaction) was completed online by all participants. The walking distance was partially positive and associated with exercise duration, weightlifting, exercise frequency, and health status (all p values < 0.001), as well as body balance and health satisfaction (p = 0.001 and 0.004, respectively), after controlling for age, sex, and types of disability. This demonstrated that increasing the amount of distance walked could well lead to a more positive body and mind. The present study suggests that the possibility of having a walk and/or encouraging people with disabilities to walk for greater distances can have a significant impact on both their physical and subjective health outcomes.

Deep-reinforcement-learning-based gait pattern controller on an uneven terrain for humanoid robots

Although conventional gait pattern control in humanoid robots is typically performed on flat terrains, the roads that people walk on every day have bumps and potholes. Therefore, to make humanoid robots more similar to humans, the movement parameters of these robots should be modified to allow them to adapt to uneven terrains. In this study, to solve this problem, reinforcement learning (RL) was used to allow humanoid robots to engage in self-training and automatically adjust their parameters for ultimate gait pattern control. However, RL has multiple types, and each type has its own benefits and shortcomings. Therefore, a series of experiments were performed, and the results indicated that proximal policy optimization (PPO), combining advantage actor-critic and trust region policy optimization, was the most suitable method. Hence, an improved version of PPO, called PPO2, was used, and the experimental results indicated that the combination of deep RL with data preprocessing methods, such as wavelet transform and fuzzification, facilitated the gait pattern control and balance of humanoid robots.

The effects of age and postural constraints on prehension.

Older adults adapt the execution of complex motor tasks to use compensatory strategies in the reaching-to-grasping (i.e., prehension) movement. The presence of postural constraints may exacerbate these compensatory strategies. Therefore, we investigated the reach-to-grasp action with different postural constraints (sitting, standing, and walking) in younger and older people and evaluated the postural stability during the reach-to-grasp action. Thirty individuals (15 younger and 15 older adults) performed the prehension under three postural tasks: sitting, standing, and walking. The reaching movement was slower in the walking task than in the other two postural tasks; however, there was no difference between the age groups. For the grasping action, the older adults presented a larger grip aperture, and the peak grip aperture occurred earlier during hand transportation in sitting and standing tasks. In the standing task, the margin of stability was smaller for older adults. In the walking task, there was no difference between the groups for the margin of stability. Also, prehension during sitting and standing tasks were similar, and both differed from walking across age groups. Finally, older adults reduced their margin of stability compared to younger adults, but only in the standing task. The margin of stability was similar between age groups during the walking task. We concluded that age affected grasping (distal component) but not reaching (proximal component), suggesting that healthy older adults have more difficulty controlling distal than proximal body segments.

The Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) for walking and cycling - experiences from 10 years of application of a health impact assessment tool in policy and practice.

In recent years, walking and cycling have moved into the focus as promising approaches to achieve public health, sustainable transport, climate goals and better urban resilience. However, they are only realistic transport and activity options for a large proportion of the population when they are safe, inclusive and convenient. One way to increase their recognition in transport policy is the inclusion of health impacts of walking and cycling into transport economic appraisals. The Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) for walking and cycling calculates: if x people walk or cycle a distance of y on most days, what is the economic value of impacts on premature mortality, taking into account effects of physical activity, air pollution and road fatalities, as well as effects on carbon emissions. Different data sources were collated to examine how the HEAT in more than 10 years of existence, and to identify lessons learned and challenges. Since its launch in 2009, the HEAT has gained wide recognition as a user friendly, yet robust, evidence-based tool usable by academics, policymakers, and practitioners. Originally designed for use in Europe, it has since been expanded for global use. Challenges for a wider uptake of health-impact assessment (HIA) tools including active transport such as HEAT are the promotion and dissemination to local practitioners and policy makers also outside European and English-speaking regions and in low- and middle-income contexts, further increasing usability, and more generally the advancement of systematic data collection and impact quantification related to walking and cycling.

Shadow Effect of Human Obstacles on Indoor Visible Light Communication System with Multiple Light Sources

When the direct visible-light channel is affected by people walking or other obstacles, the shadow effect formed in the receiver space affects communication performance and can even lead to communication interruption. In this paper, two numerical methods for calculating the shadow area of the human body were proposed for an indoor multi-light communication system. The influence of shadows on system performance was analyzed using the mean square errors of illuminance and signal-to-noise ratio, as well as the interrupt probability, as parameters. The results showed that shadows had a great influence on the performance of the visible-light communication system. When the number of light sources was fixed, the shadow effect could be effectively reduced by optimizing the layout of the light sources. These research results can provide a theoretical basis for improving the stability of visible-light communication systems.

Motion planning in dynamic environments using context-aware human trajectory prediction

Over the years, the separate fields of motion planning, mapping, and human trajectory prediction have advanced considerably. However, the literature is still sparse in providing practical frameworks that enable mobile manipulators to perform whole-body movements and account for the predicted motion of moving obstacles. Previous optimisation-based motion planning approaches that use distance fields have suffered from the high computational cost required to update the environment representation. We demonstrate that GPU-accelerated predicted composite distance fields significantly reduce the computation time compared to calculating distance fields from scratch. We integrate this technique with a complete motion planning and perception framework that accounts for the predicted motion of humans in dynamic environments, enabling reactive and pre-emptive motion planning that incorporates predicted motions. To achieve this, we propose and implement a novel human trajectory prediction method that combines intention recognition with trajectory optimisation-based motion planning. We validate our resultant framework on a real-world Toyota Human Support Robot (HSR) using live RGB-D sensor data from the onboard camera. In addition to providing analysis on a publicly available dataset, we release the Oxford Indoor Human Motion (Oxford-IHM) dataset and demonstrate state-of-the-art performance in human trajectory prediction. The Oxford-IHM dataset is a human trajectory prediction dataset in which people walk between regions of interest in an indoor environment. Both static and robot-mounted RGB-D cameras observe the people while tracked with a motion-capture system.

Sparrow's Nest Feeds Body &amp; Spirit of Cancer Patients &amp; Families

Sparrow's Nest Feeds Body &amp; Spirit of Cancer Patients &amp; Families

Focal muscle spasticity has little impact on muscle power for walking in people with Traumatic Brain Injury

BackgroundSpasticity is prevalent following Traumatic Brain Injury. ‘Focal’ muscle spasticity has been defined as spasticity affecting a localised muscle group, but it's impact on gait kinetics remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between focal muscle spasticity and gait kinetics following Traumatic Brain Injury. MethodsNinety-three participants attending physiotherapy for mobility limitations following Traumatic Brain Injury were invited to participate in the study. Participants underwent clinical gait analysis and were grouped depending on the presence or absence of focal muscle spasticity. Kinetic data was obtained for each sub-group, and participants were compared to healthy controls. FindingsHip extensor power generation at initial contact, hip flexor power generation at terminal stance, and knee extensor power absorption at terminal stance were all significantly increased, and ankle power generation was significantly reduced at push-off when comparing Traumatic Brain Injury to healthy control populations. There were only two significant differences between participants with and without focal muscle spasticity, hip extensor power generation at initial contact was increased (1.53 vs 1.03 W/kg, P < .05) for those with focal hamstring spasticity, and knee extensor power absorption in early stance was reduced (−0.28 vs −0.64 W/kg, P < .05) for those with focal rectus femoris spasticity. However, these results should be interpreted with caution as the sub-group of participants with focal hamstring and rectus femoris spasticity was small. InterpretationFocal muscle spasticity had little association with abnormal gait kinetics in this cohort of independently ambulant people with Traumatic Brain Injury.

A Novel Functional Electrical Stimulation Device Plus Telerehabilitation Improves Walking in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Case Series

Background and purpose Foot drop in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) commonly leads to decreased mobility and quality of life (QOL). Functional electrical stimulation (FES) of the peroneal nerve can improve gait but access to wearable FES devices is limited by cost and burden of in-person visits for device optimization. Therefore, the purpose of this case series was to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of a telehealth-monitored FES device. Methods Ten PwMS (50.2 years [SD 11.3]; 2 males) with moderate disability (median EDSS 4.75; IQR 3.75 – 5.75) were provided an EvoWalk FES device. Participants were prescribed an 8-week wear-schedule. A wearable accelerometer (ActiGraph) recorded daily step count at week 0 and 8. For week 0 activity levels, the EvoWalk was donned but not activated, and settings were progressed over three bi-weekly telehealth sessions. Effectiveness was assessed by Timed-25 Foot Walk (T25FW), 2-Minute Walk test (2MWT), Timed-Up and Go (TUG), and self-report of walking, fatigue, and QOL collected in-person at baseline and study end. Feasibility was assessed by percentage of telehealth visits completed and participant-reported satisfaction. Results All (100%) telehealth visits were completed with high levels of satisfaction reported, mean score 4.7/5 (SD .51). ActiGraph data were available for 3 participants: average daily step count pre (2,996; SD 1,235) was lower than post (3,930: SD 1,157) EvoWalk use. At study completion, use of FES resulted in a larger orthotic effect in gait speed for T25FW (-14.2%), TUG (-17.0%) and distance on the 2MWT (14.6%). Post-trial self-report measures showed improvements in subjective walking (-15.6%), QOL (-13.6%) and fatigue (-7.5%). Discussion Telehealth was safe and feasible for progressing FES intervention. Gait speed, walking distance, and QOL improved following the intervention. Using telerehabilitation to monitor FES intervention may simultaneously improve access and reduce patient burden. Future research should include follow-up to assess long-term effects Foot drop in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) commonly leads to decreased mobility and quality of life (QOL). Functional electrical stimulation (FES) of the peroneal nerve can improve gait but access to wearable FES devices is limited by cost and burden of in-person visits for device optimization. Therefore, the purpose of this case series was to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of a telehealth-monitored FES device. Ten PwMS (50.2 years [SD 11.3]; 2 males) with moderate disability (median EDSS 4.75; IQR 3.75 – 5.75) were provided an EvoWalk FES device. Participants were prescribed an 8-week wear-schedule. A wearable accelerometer (ActiGraph) recorded daily step count at week 0 and 8. For week 0 activity levels, the EvoWalk was donned but not activated, and settings were progressed over three bi-weekly telehealth sessions. Effectiveness was assessed by Timed-25 Foot Walk (T25FW), 2-Minute Walk test (2MWT), Timed-Up and Go (TUG), and self-report of walking, fatigue, and QOL collected in-person at baseline and study end. Feasibility was assessed by percentage of telehealth visits completed and participant-reported satisfaction. All (100%) telehealth visits were completed with high levels of satisfaction reported, mean score 4.7/5 (SD .51). ActiGraph data were available for 3 participants: average daily step count pre (2,996; SD 1,235) was lower than post (3,930: SD 1,157) EvoWalk use. At study completion, use of FES resulted in a larger orthotic effect in gait speed for T25FW (-14.2%), TUG (-17.0%) and distance on the 2MWT (14.6%). Post-trial self-report measures showed improvements in subjective walking (-15.6%), QOL (-13.6%) and fatigue (-7.5%). Telehealth was safe and feasible for progressing FES intervention. Gait speed, walking distance, and QOL improved following the intervention. Using telerehabilitation to monitor FES intervention may simultaneously improve access and reduce patient burden. Future research should include follow-up to assess long-term effects

Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in the Community Through Walking Intervention: Scoping Review

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in the world. The SDGs target reducing mortality through cost-effective prevention efforts. Physical activity, including walking, has been proven to prevent cardiovascular disease. Walking is an activity that is cheap, easy, simple, and does not need tools and skills, so it can be done in general by the community. However, the modern world makes people's walking activities low. There is a need to find evidence of walking interventions that can increase walking and prevent cardiovascular disease. Purpose: This scoping review aims to identify literature focusing on walking interventions that increase footsteps and reduce disease risk to prevent cardiovascular disease. Methods: Following the guidelines for the JBI scoping review methodology. Articles conducted searches on the Ebscho CINAHL, Academic, PubMed, and ProQuest databases from 2013 to 2021. The collected data were extracted in tabular and narrative form. Results: Thirteen articles met the criteria involving 2,910 people from eight countries. Eleven studies used a randomized controlled trial, and two used a quasi-experimental design. Conclusion: Walking interventions that support increased footsteps include: distance, duration per week (&lt; 150 minutes or &gt; 150 minutes), supervision, activities accompanied by socio-cultural activities, counselling, and motivation, in addition to the use of tools such as pedometers, accelerators, and smartwatch is used as a footstep monitor. Intervention in walking is beneficial in reducing cardiovascular diseases risk indicators such as blood pressure, BMI, blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Impact of Microclimate on People’s Experiences and Behaviours in the Cultural Consumption Space: A Case Study of Panjiayuan Antique Market in Beijing, China

Antique and cultural consumption spaces make a great contribution to urban vitality where numerous people walk, stay, and trade. However, how these people’s experiences and behaviours are affected by the microclimate of such spaces has not been studied till now. To address this gap, and using the concept of Post-occupancy Evaluation (POE) as a basis, our study investigated microclimate factors, subjective experiences, and spatiotemporal behaviour patterns in Panjiayuan Antique Market in Beijing, China. Using a mixed-methods approach comprising subjective questionnaires (n = 101), face-to-face interviews (n = 81), spatiotemporal behaviour mapping (n = 8455), and on-site observations, our results showed that microclimates impact people’s experiences and behaviours, with visibility and noise being the two primary impact factors. Most female visitors are more sensitive to the microclimate than male visitors. Furthermore, vendors in the Antique Market preferred to amend their nearby environments to increase the microclimate quality to offer a better experience to visitors around them. This study developed a comprehensive methodology that expands POE in relation to microclimatic factors in the context of cultural consumption spaces. These findings suggest that microclimates have different impacts on people’s experiences and behaviours in different spaces, which should be considered when designing and renewing urban antique markets in the future.

Walking with Fanon: Towards Decolonized Embodiments

This essay reconsiders the role of Fanon’s corporeal metaphors in his political writing and the range of possible embodiments for the decolonized nation. Relying on the connections between his clinical and political writing demonstrated by scholars including Françoise Vergès and Ranjana Khanna among others, I cross-read the descriptions in Fanon’s clinical and political writing about blocked and moving bodies. I show that Fanon’s approach to clinicians’ notes enabled him and his colleagues to develop a daily writing practice in movement analysis and description, and, on this basis, I propose that his movement descriptions are not solely metaphorical but also literal. In order to demonstrate how a literal cross-reading of his political and clinical writing can offer reinterpretations of his writing about moving bodies, I analyse two instances where Fanon describes distorted walking; first, in “On Torsion Spasms,” a 1958 case study co-authored with his colleague Lucien Lévy, and second in the evocation of decolonized people walking together in the conclusion of Wretched of the Earth. Reading these two descriptions of walking together opens up interpretations of decolonization’s embodiments. The analysis of “On Torsion Spasms” focuses on their discussion of pace and posture and the limits in their treatment recommendations imposed by social norms. I then port the limits to pace and posture they identify in “On Torsion Spasms” to the conclusion of Wretched of the Earth. I argue that this last corporeal metaphor of Fanon’s career takes up the questions of pace and posture raised in “On Torsion Spasms” such that rather than solely evoking the militaristic valences of marching, this movement description suggests the inclusion of an infinitely wide range of pacings and postures to represent the decolonized nation.