Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Gait and Balance Control in Young Adults: A Hip–Ankle Strategy
Background: This study aimed to derive the effects of walking while using a mobile phone on balance perturbation and joint movement among young adults. Methods: Sixteen healthy college students with no history of brain injury were tested. The participants were asked to walk under four different cond...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Bioengineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/10/6/665 |
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| author | Zijun Lu Xinxin Zhang Chuangui Mao Tao Liu Xinglu Li Wenfei Zhu Chao Wang Yuliang Sun |
| author_facet | Zijun Lu Xinxin Zhang Chuangui Mao Tao Liu Xinglu Li Wenfei Zhu Chao Wang Yuliang Sun |
| author_sort | Zijun Lu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: This study aimed to derive the effects of walking while using a mobile phone on balance perturbation and joint movement among young adults. Methods: Sixteen healthy college students with no history of brain injury were tested. The participants were asked to walk under four different conditions: (1) walking, (2) browsing, (3) dialing, and (4) texting. Indicators related to balance control and lower limb kinematic/kinetic parameters were analyzed using the continuous relative phase and statistical nonparametric mapping methods. Results: Walking while using a mobile phone slowed participants’ gait speed and reduced the cadence, stride length, and step length. The posterior tilt angle (0–14%, 57–99%), torque of the hip flexion (0–15%, 30–35%, 75–100%), and angle of the hip flexion (0–28%, 44–100%) decreased significantly. The activation of biceps femoris and gastrocnemius, hip stiffness, and ankle stiffness increased significantly. This impact on gait significantly differed among three dual tasks: texting > browsing > dialing. Conclusion: Che overlap of walking and mobile phone use affects the gait significantly. The “hip–ankle strategy” may result in a “smooth” but slower gait, while this strategy was deliberate and tense. In addition, this adjustment also increases the stiffness of the hip and ankle, increasing the risk of fatigue. Findings regarding this effect may prove that even for young healthy adults, walking with mobile phone use induces measurable adjustment of the motor pattern. These results suggest the importance of simplifying the control of the movement. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:45:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-92501d68cd0b42b9bbe425a32d4ef1fe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-5354 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:45:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bioengineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-92501d68cd0b42b9bbe425a32d4ef1fe2023-11-18T09:21:04ZengMDPI AGBioengineering2306-53542023-06-0110666510.3390/bioengineering10060665Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Gait and Balance Control in Young Adults: A Hip–Ankle StrategyZijun Lu0Xinxin Zhang1Chuangui Mao2Tao Liu3Xinglu Li4Wenfei Zhu5Chao Wang6Yuliang Sun7Department of Exercise Science, School of Physical Education, Faculty of Sports and Human Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, ChinaDepartment of Exercise Science, School of Physical Education, Faculty of Sports and Human Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, ChinaDepartment of Exercise Science, School of Physical Education, Faculty of Sports and Human Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, ChinaDepartment of Exercise Science, School of Physical Education, Faculty of Sports and Human Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, ChinaDepartment of Exercise Science, School of Physical Education, Faculty of Sports and Human Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, ChinaDepartment of Exercise Science, School of Physical Education, Faculty of Sports and Human Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, ChinaDepartment of Exercise Science, School of Physical Education, Faculty of Sports and Human Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, ChinaDepartment of Exercise Science, School of Physical Education, Faculty of Sports and Human Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, ChinaBackground: This study aimed to derive the effects of walking while using a mobile phone on balance perturbation and joint movement among young adults. Methods: Sixteen healthy college students with no history of brain injury were tested. The participants were asked to walk under four different conditions: (1) walking, (2) browsing, (3) dialing, and (4) texting. Indicators related to balance control and lower limb kinematic/kinetic parameters were analyzed using the continuous relative phase and statistical nonparametric mapping methods. Results: Walking while using a mobile phone slowed participants’ gait speed and reduced the cadence, stride length, and step length. The posterior tilt angle (0–14%, 57–99%), torque of the hip flexion (0–15%, 30–35%, 75–100%), and angle of the hip flexion (0–28%, 44–100%) decreased significantly. The activation of biceps femoris and gastrocnemius, hip stiffness, and ankle stiffness increased significantly. This impact on gait significantly differed among three dual tasks: texting > browsing > dialing. Conclusion: Che overlap of walking and mobile phone use affects the gait significantly. The “hip–ankle strategy” may result in a “smooth” but slower gait, while this strategy was deliberate and tense. In addition, this adjustment also increases the stiffness of the hip and ankle, increasing the risk of fatigue. Findings regarding this effect may prove that even for young healthy adults, walking with mobile phone use induces measurable adjustment of the motor pattern. These results suggest the importance of simplifying the control of the movement.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/10/6/665dual-taskgait alterationmotor controlmobile phone useyoung adults |
| spellingShingle | Zijun Lu Xinxin Zhang Chuangui Mao Tao Liu Xinglu Li Wenfei Zhu Chao Wang Yuliang Sun Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Gait and Balance Control in Young Adults: A Hip–Ankle Strategy Bioengineering dual-task gait alteration motor control mobile phone use young adults |
| title | Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Gait and Balance Control in Young Adults: A Hip–Ankle Strategy |
| title_full | Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Gait and Balance Control in Young Adults: A Hip–Ankle Strategy |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Gait and Balance Control in Young Adults: A Hip–Ankle Strategy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Gait and Balance Control in Young Adults: A Hip–Ankle Strategy |
| title_short | Effects of Mobile Phone Use on Gait and Balance Control in Young Adults: A Hip–Ankle Strategy |
| title_sort | effects of mobile phone use on gait and balance control in young adults a hip ankle strategy |
| topic | dual-task gait alteration motor control mobile phone use young adults |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/10/6/665 |
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