Combined Effects of Bag Holding and Obstacle Avoidance on Gait Characteristics: A Kinematic Study in Healthy Young Adults

ObjectiveThis study examined the influence of holding a bag with one hand on a walkway with an obstacle on gait characteristics.MethodsTen healthy male students walked 5 m on obstructed and unobstructed walkways while holding loads corresponding to 0%, 10% and 20% of their body weights. General gait parameters (gait velocity, step length, etc.), the toe-obstacle clearance and the minimum toe clearance, the hip, knee and ankle joint angles of both limbs, and take-off and landing distances were analysed.ResultsWith heavier loads, the step length, velocity and landing distance decreased, and flexion angles of the knee and ankle of the support limb increased on both walkways. Clearances were maintained constantly by flexion of the ankle joint in unobstructed trials and by flexion of the hip joint in obstructed trials.ConclusionEven in healthy adults, gait properties remarkably change owing to holding loads that equal to 10–20% of body weight on obstructed and unobstructed walkways. Clearance between toe and an obstacle/floor are maintained by using different strategies.