Changes in Sagittal Plane Kinematics During Dual Task Walking
Faculty Mentor
Kristyne Wiegand, Katie Taylor
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-14-2026 9:00 AM
End Date
4-14-2026 11:00 AM
Location
PUB NCR
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Exercise Science
Abstract
In modern work environments, sedentary desk-based work is common and has been linked to health issues such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and musculoskeletal issues. To decrease the risk of these health issues, modalities like under-desk walking pads have become more common and accessible. With these modalities, it is important to understand whether dual tasks, like the pairing of walking with cognitive tasks such as typing, basic mathematics, or memory recall, can create an increased risk of injury or falls. Lower extremity kinematics may provide more insight as to whether using under-desk walking pads while participating in cognitive tasks create risky movement patterns. PURPOSE: To determine whether different types of cognitive loads can alter sagittal plane knee mechanics or step length while using an under-desk walking pad. METHODS: Thirty healthy male and female adults (ages 18-44) will be recruited. Thus far, three participants have completed the study. Participants walked at a self-selected fixed speed on an under-desk walking pad with four 5-minute conditions: control (CON; no stimulus) and three cognitive tasks: multiplication problem solving (MATH), typing (TYP), and memory recall (MEM). Lower extremity sagittal plane mechanics were recorded in 2D (30 Hz). Knee angle range of motion (ROM) and stride length were calculated, and the percent change from the control condition was determined, where a negative change represents a decrease from CON. The effects of cognitive tasks on kinematic variables of interest were assessed with one-way repeated measures ANOVA (α = .05). RESULTS: Preliminary results (N = 3) demonstrate a decrease in knee ROM during TYP (-1.1%) and MEM (-1.7%), and an increase in stride length for all three tasks (MATH=5.6%; TYP=9.4%; MEM=1.7%), though statistical tests were not conducted at this time due to limited preliminary results. CONCLUSION: While it is difficult to make definitive conclusions based on preliminary data, it appears that cognitive demands during walking may lead to more cautious movement patterns. Additional data will help to determine whether a specific task has the greatest influence on mechanics.
Recommended Citation
Gutmann, Sarah, "Changes in Sagittal Plane Kinematics During Dual Task Walking" (2026). 2026 Symposium. 44.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2026/ps_2026/p1_2026/44
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Changes in Sagittal Plane Kinematics During Dual Task Walking
PUB NCR
In modern work environments, sedentary desk-based work is common and has been linked to health issues such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and musculoskeletal issues. To decrease the risk of these health issues, modalities like under-desk walking pads have become more common and accessible. With these modalities, it is important to understand whether dual tasks, like the pairing of walking with cognitive tasks such as typing, basic mathematics, or memory recall, can create an increased risk of injury or falls. Lower extremity kinematics may provide more insight as to whether using under-desk walking pads while participating in cognitive tasks create risky movement patterns. PURPOSE: To determine whether different types of cognitive loads can alter sagittal plane knee mechanics or step length while using an under-desk walking pad. METHODS: Thirty healthy male and female adults (ages 18-44) will be recruited. Thus far, three participants have completed the study. Participants walked at a self-selected fixed speed on an under-desk walking pad with four 5-minute conditions: control (CON; no stimulus) and three cognitive tasks: multiplication problem solving (MATH), typing (TYP), and memory recall (MEM). Lower extremity sagittal plane mechanics were recorded in 2D (30 Hz). Knee angle range of motion (ROM) and stride length were calculated, and the percent change from the control condition was determined, where a negative change represents a decrease from CON. The effects of cognitive tasks on kinematic variables of interest were assessed with one-way repeated measures ANOVA (α = .05). RESULTS: Preliminary results (N = 3) demonstrate a decrease in knee ROM during TYP (-1.1%) and MEM (-1.7%), and an increase in stride length for all three tasks (MATH=5.6%; TYP=9.4%; MEM=1.7%), though statistical tests were not conducted at this time due to limited preliminary results. CONCLUSION: While it is difficult to make definitive conclusions based on preliminary data, it appears that cognitive demands during walking may lead to more cautious movement patterns. Additional data will help to determine whether a specific task has the greatest influence on mechanics.
