Influence of gait cadence on plantar pressures and ground reaction forces during obese adults’ walking

To prescribe safer exercise routines for obese people it is important to understand the effects of changing gait cadence on biomechanical gait parameters.The aim of this study was to verify if changes in gait cadence during overground walking affect the ground reaction forces and in-shoe plantar pressures of normal-weight and obese participants differently.As a secondary aim, the ground reaction forces and plantar pressures between normalweight and obese participants were compared during both low and high gait cadences.We assessed ground reaction forces and in-shoe plantar pressures in 10 foot regions during low (70 steps/ minute) and high (120 steps/ minute) gait cadences in 17 obese adults and 17 gender-matched normal-weight participants during walking.Changes in gait cadence similarly affect ground reaction forces (p = .21)and plantar pressures (p = .47) of normal-weight and obese adults.Similar ground reaction force peaks were observed between groups in both gait cadences (p = .59).Statistically significant differences in plantar pressures (p < .001)were found between groups in both gait cadences.In conclusion, higher vertical and anterior-posterior ground reaction forces associated with higher plantar pressure peaks in the rearfoot and toe regions in obese individuals suggest that walking at high gait cadences demands more to the musculoskeletal system compared to low gait cadences.