Objectives Mobile phone texting is a common daily occurrence with a paucity of research examining corresponding gait characteristics. To date, most studies have participants walk in a straight line vs. overcoming barriers and obstacles that occur during regular walking. The aim of our study is to examine the effect of mobile phone texting during periods of cognitive distraction while walking and negotiating barriers synonymous with pedestrian traffic. Methods Thirty participants (18-50y) completed three randomized, counter-balanced walking tasks over a course during: (1) normal walking (control), (2) texting and walking, and (3) texting and walking whilst being cognitively distraction via a standard mathematical test performed while negotiating the obstacle course. We analyzed gait characteristics during course negotiation using a 3-dimensional motion analysis system and a general linear model and Dunnet- Hsu post-hoc procedure the normal walking condition to assess gait characteristic differences. Primary outcomes included the overall time to complete the course time and barrier contact. Secondary outcomes included obstacle clearance height, step frequency, step time, double support phase and lateral deviation. Results Participants took significantly longer (mean ± SD) to complete the course while texting (24.96 ±4.20 sec) and during cognitive distraction COG (24.09±3.36 sec) vs. normal walking (19.32 ±2.28 sec; all, P<0.001). No significant differences were noted for barrier contacts (P = 0.28). Step frequency, step time, double support phase and lateral deviation all increased in duration during the texting and cognitive distraction trial. Texting and being cognitively distracted also increased obstacle clearance versus the walking condition (all, P<0.02). Conclusions Texting while walking and/or being cognitively distracted significantly affect gait characteristics concordant to mobile phone usage resulting in a more cautious gate pattern. Future research should also examine a similar study in older participants who may be at a greater risk of tripping with such walking deviations.


    Access

    Download


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Gait pattern alterations during walking, texting and walking and texting during cognitively distractive tasks while negotiating common pedestrian obstacles


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2015-01-01


    Remarks:

    Licence , S , Smith , R , McGuigan , M P & Earnest , C P 2015 , ' Gait pattern alterations during walking, texting and walking and texting during cognitively distractive tasks while negotiating common pedestrian obstacles ' , PLoS ONE , vol. 10 , no. 7 , e0133281 . https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0133281



    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English


    Classification :

    DDC:    629 / 380



    How can texting affect your walking?

    Crowley, Patrick Joseph / Madeleine, Pascal Max / Vuillerme, Nicolas | BASE | 2019

    Free access

    Texting While Driving: Is Speech-Based Texting Less Risky than Handheld Texting?

    He, Jibo / Chaparro, Alex / Nguyen, Bobby et al. | Tema Archive | 2013



    Outbound Texting

    Neurauter, M. Lucas / Hankey, Jonathan M. / Schalk, Thomas B. et al. | Transportation Research Record | 2012


    Texting and walking : strategies for postural control and implications for safety

    Schabrun, Siobhan M. (R17427) / Hoorn, Wolbert van den / Moorcroft, Alison et al. | BASE | 2014

    Free access