Gender Differences in Joint Biomechanics During Obstacle Crossing with Different Heights

Overview

Journal Bioengineering (Basel)

Date 2025 Feb 26

PMID 40001708

Authors

Chenyan Wang

Yuan Guo

Weijin Du

Zhiqiang Li

Weiyi Chen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Identifying gender-related gait changes offers valuable insights into the role of gender in motor control. It is anticipated that more difficult gait tasks (obstacle crossing) may reveal gender-specific effects on gait parameters. The present study aimed to explore the gait adaptations of male and female participants when stepping over obstacles of 0 cm, 13 cm, 19 cm, and 26 cm in height. A total of 12 male and 12 female participants were recruited. The Vicon motion capture system and AMTI force plates were utilized to obtain the gait parameters. Moreover, spatiotemporal parameters were investigated. Two-way repeated ANOVA (gender × obstacle height) and three-way repeated ANOVA (gender × obstacle height × leg) were performed to compare gait parameters, respectively. Correlations between maximum joint angle and obstacle height were also evaluated. Significant interactions were observed for leading leg swing time, maximum hip extension angle, maximum knee flexion angle, and maximum ankle plantarflexion angle (gender × obstacle height). There were some differences in gait parameters between males and females in the unobstructed gait, and these changes became more evident as obstacle height increased. This study also identified significant differences in gait parameters between leading and trailing legs when stepping over the obstacle.

References

Kerrigan D, Todd M, Croce U . Gender differences in joint biomechanics during walking: normative study in young adults. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 1998; 77(1):2-7. DOI: 10.1097/00002060-199801000-00002. View

Roche N, Chorin F, Gerus P, Deshayes M, Guerin O, Zory R . Effects of age, gender, frailty and falls on spatiotemporal gait parameters: a retrospective cohort study. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2021; 57(6):923-930. DOI: 10.23736/S1973-9087.21.06831-3. View

Alcock L, Galna B, Hausdorff J, Lord S, Rochester L . Gait & Posture Special Issue: Gait adaptations in response to obstacle type in fallers with Parkinson's disease. Gait Posture. 2018; 61:368-374. DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2018.01.030. View

Liikavainio T, Isolehto J, Helminen H, Perttunen J, Lepola V, Kiviranta I . Loading and gait symmetry during level and stair walking in asymptomatic subjects with knee osteoarthritis: importance of quadriceps femoris in reducing impact force during heel strike?. Knee. 2007; 14(3):231-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.knee.2007.03.001. View

McKean K, Landry S, Hubley-Kozey C, Dunbar M, Stanish W, Deluzio K . Gender differences exist in osteoarthritic gait. Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2007; 22(4):400-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2006.11.006. View

Boyer K, Beaupre G, Andriacchi T . Gender differences exist in the hip joint moments of healthy older walkers. J Biomech. 2008; 41(16):3360-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2008.09.030. View

Angelini M, Kesler R, Petrucci M, Rosengren K, Horn G, Hsiao-Wecksler E . Effects of simulated firefighting and asymmetric load carriage on firefighter obstacle crossing performance. Appl Ergon. 2018; 70:59-67. DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2018.02.006. View

Chardon M, Barbieri F, Penedo T, Santos P, Vuillerme N . The effects of experimentally-induced fatigue on gait parameters during obstacle crossing: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2022; 142:104854. DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104854. View

Behmaram S, Jalalvand A, Reza Jahani M . Effects of backpack-induced fatigue on gait ground reaction force characteristics in primary school children with flat-foot deformity. J Biomech. 2021; 129:110817. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110817. View

10.

Chen H, Lu T . Comparisons of the joint moments between leading and trailing limb in young adults when stepping over obstacles. Gait Posture. 2005; 23(1):69-77. DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2004.12.001. View

11.

Andriacchi T, Ogle J, Galante J . Walking speed as a basis for normal and abnormal gait measurements. J Biomech. 1977; 10(4):261-8. DOI: 10.1016/0021-9290(77)90049-5. View

12.

Ko S, Tolea M, Hausdorff J, Ferrucci L . Sex-specific differences in gait patterns of healthy older adults: results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. J Biomech. 2011; 44(10):1974-9. PMC: 3124580. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2011.05.005. View

13.

Lajoie K, Bloomfield L, Nelson F, Suh J, Marigold D . The contribution of vision, proprioception, and efference copy in storing a neural representation for guiding trail leg trajectory over an obstacle. J Neurophysiol. 2012; 107(8):2283-93. DOI: 10.1152/jn.00756.2011. View

14.

Cho S, Park J, Kwon O . Gender differences in three dimensional gait analysis data from 98 healthy Korean adults. Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2004; 19(2):145-52. DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2003.10.003. View

15.

Bhambhani Y, Maikala R . Gender differences during treadmill walking with graded loads: biomechanical and physiological comparisons. Eur J Appl Physiol. 1999; 81(1-2):75-83. DOI: 10.1007/PL00013800. View

16.

Ramachandran A, Rosengren K, Yang Y, Hsiao-Wecksler E . Effect of Tai Chi on gait and obstacle crossing behaviors in middle-aged adults. Gait Posture. 2006; 26(2):248-55. DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2006.09.005. View

17.

Chou L, Kaufman K, Hahn M, Brey R . Medio-lateral motion of the center of mass during obstacle crossing distinguishes elderly individuals with imbalance. Gait Posture. 2003; 18(3):125-33. DOI: 10.1016/s0966-6362(02)00067-x. View

18.

Jafarnezhadgero A, Majlesi M, Azadian E . Gait ground reaction force characteristics in deaf and hearing children. Gait Posture. 2017; 53:236-240. DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2017.02.006. View

19.

Damavandi M, Dixon P, Pearsall D . Ground reaction force adaptations during cross-slope walking and running. Hum Mov Sci. 2011; 31(1):182-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2011.06.004. View

20.

Ferber R, Davis I, Williams 3rd D . Gender differences in lower extremity mechanics during running. Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2003; 18(4):350-7. DOI: 10.1016/s0268-0033(03)00025-1. View