The influence of gait cadence on the ground reaction forces and plantar pressures during load carriage of young adults

• High ground reaction forces and plantar pressures are observed during load carriage at high gait cadences.
• Special attention should be paid in the medial forefoot and medial rearfoot regions during load carriage at high gait cadences.
• The pattern of force distribution is different between load carriage and normal walking during low and high gait cadences.
• During load carriage changes on gait pattern appears to occur to protect the musculoskeletal system from high vertical forces.

Biomechanical gait parameters—ground reaction forces (GRFs) and plantar pressures—during load carriage of young adults were compared at a low gait cadence and a high gait cadence. Differences between load carriage and normal walking during both gait cadences were also assessed. A force plate and an in-shoe plantar pressure system were used to assess 60 adults while they were walking either normally (unloaded condition) or wearing a backpack (loaded condition) at low (70 steps per minute) and high gait cadences (120 steps per minute). GRF and plantar pressure peaks were scaled to body weight (or body weight plus backpack weight). With medium to high effect sizes we found greater anterior-posterior and vertical GRFs and greater plantar pressure peaks in the rearfoot, forefoot and hallux when the participants walked carrying a backpack at high gait cadences compared to walking at low gait cadences. Differences between loaded and unloaded conditions in both gait cadences were also observed.