Gait Imbalances of Middle-Aged Sedentary Populations

Abstract

Walking is the first locomotor movement developed by humans after reflexive movements and balancing processes. This study aimed to evaluate walking patterns of middle-aged individuals who lead a sedentary life and to compare gait parameters in terms of gender and body mass index. This study contained eighty-four voluntarily participants (30.00±6.94 years; 74.02±15.44 kg; 170.23±8.94 cm). All participants were sedentary individuals who had not undergone any lower extremity surgery, did not use any movement system medication. Height was assessed by using a wall-mounted stadiometer. Weight was assesed by using Tanita TBF-300. Gait Analysis were performed by Microgate Optogait. All tests were carried out in the same air-conditioned lab which was set to 20°C and 1890 m altitude. Gait parameters were directly provided from Microgate Optogait. The differences between women and men, fat and normal weight were determined using an analysis of variance with Independent T test. All the data were shown as mean and standard deviation. In statistical analysis, the level of significance was chosen as p<0.05. There was no significantly difference, when gait parameters values was compared according to gender and BMI (p>0.05) in all parameters. There was just significantly difference contact phase and propulsive phase according to gender and double support phase according to BMI. There was also bilaterally difference contact phase, the overweights had more imbalance and interestingly in favor of the non-dominant limb. The mean values of the gait values obtained were similarly the norm values of healthy middle-aged individuals.