Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Sep 25;8(3):24730114231198524.
doi: 10.1177/24730114231198524. eCollection 2023 Jul.

Age, Gender, Body Mass Index, and Foot Loading During Gait

Jorge Luis Alberto Castellini  1 , María Florencia Grande Ratti  2   3 , Débora Mirta Chan  4
Affiliations

Age, Gender, Body Mass Index, and Foot Loading During Gait

Jorge Luis Alberto Castellini et al. Foot Ankle Orthop. .

Abstract

Background: The aim was to analyze changes in normal functional parameters of gait analysis by aging, sex, and body mass index (BMI).

Methods: A cross-sectional study with a consecutive sample of asymptomatic subjects was performed between 2014 and 2020. Primary outcomes were time and force parameters (contact time and center of force [CoF] time), in the heel, midfoot, and metatarsal areas, measured using an in-office force platform.

Results: A total of 156 subjects (312 feet) were included, including 67% of women with a mean age of 47 years. The mean of total contact time was similar in males and females (P = .695) and across BMI (P = .413). Contact time did not show differences by region (P = .648 heel, P = .286 midfoot, and P = .690 metatarsal). CoF time in the heel and metatarsal areas did not change between males and females (P = .288 and P = .879, respectively); meanwhile, it was different in midfoot (P = .002). Maximum force showed a reduction between sexes in the heel (P = .039) but did not in the midfoot and metatarsal areas. By age, differences were detected in the heel and metatarsal areas in females (P = .002 and P = .001) and the metatarsal area in males (P = .001). According to the age groups, total contact time increased in females (P = .001) but not in males (P = .018), and no differences were detected between foot areas. In females, CoF time did not change either foot areas or age groups. In males, CoF time values increased in the midfoot area in the older group (P = .001).

Conclusion: Time variables did not change by foot region, independent of age, sex, and BMI. Heel maximum force decreased in females, probably linked to adaptive phenomena by aging. The midfoot remains stable, and acts as an undamaged "bridge." These parameters could be interpreted as normal in asymptomatic subjects.

Level of evidence: Level III, diagnostic and prognostic.

Keywords: asymptomatic patients; center of force; contact time; foot functional parameters; force platform; gait analysis; ground reaction force; maximum force.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. ICMJE forms for all authors are available online.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Time variables comparing males and females: (A) contact time in percentage by foot regions, no differences were observed in the heel (P = .6480), midfoot (P = .2865), and metatarsal area (P = .6902). (B) Center of force time (in %) by foot regions. No differences were observed in the heel (P = .2885) and metatarsal area (P = .8797). Midfoot (P = .0029) = 24.64% (5.25) in males and 26.64% (5.63) in females in the total sample.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Force variables comparing males and females: (A) Maximum force by foot regions normalized in percentage of the bodyweight in the heel (P = .0390), midfoot (P = .4024), and metatarsal regions (P = .1946). (B) Maximum force by foot regions in absolute values expressed in kilograms: heel (P = .0001), midfoot (P = .0740), and metatarsal region (P = .0001).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Stance time quantile regression by age, stratified in (A) males and (B) females. Generalized linear regression model, the percentile Q50 corresponds to a stance time value of 0.78 seconds at 30 years of age and 0.80 seconds at 60 years of age in men, and in women, 0.72 seconds and 0.81 seconds respectively.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Contact time in percentage in the entire sample. The x-axis is age (in years), and the y-axis is the value in percentage (%). Stratified by areas: (A) heel, (B) midfoot, and (C) metatarsal.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Center of force (CoF) time in the entire sample. The x-axis is age (in years), and the y-axis is the value in percentage (%). Stratified by areas: (A) heel, (B) midfoot, and (C) metatarsal.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Maximum force normalized in % of the body weight across the entire sample. The x-axis is age (in years), and the y-axis is the value in percentage (%BW). Stratified by areas: heel (A), midfoot (B), and metatarsal (C).
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
Stance time (total contact time in seconds) values by the body mass index (range 16.9%-30.9%) in the total sample.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Anderson FC, Pandy MG. Individual muscle contributions to support in normal walking. Gait Posture. 2003;17(2):159-169. - PubMed
    1. Bus SA, de Lange A. A comparison of the 1-step, 2-step, and 3-step protocols for obtaining barefoot plantar pressure data in the diabetic neuropathic foot. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2005;20(9):892-899. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2005.05.004 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Castellini JL. Parametros biomecanicos de la funcion del pie medidos en el consultorio del especialista en Ortopedia y Traumatologia [Biomechanical parameters of foot function measured in an orthopedic and traumatology specialist’s office]. Rev Asoc Argent Ortop Argent. 2022;87(6):756-764.
    1. Chiu MC, Wang MJ. The effect of gait speed and gender on perceived exertion, muscle activity, joint motion of lower extremity, ground reaction forces and heart rate during normal walking. Gait Posture. 2007;25(3):385-392. doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2006.05.008 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Cornwall MW, McPoil TG. Velocity of the center of pressure during walking. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2000;90(7):334-338. doi:10.7547/87507315-90-7-334 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources