2023, Volume 16, Issue 5, pp 751 – 758

Examining gender differences in gait parameters between non-smoker and smoker participants

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Authors and Affiliations

Corresponding Author: Mohammad Ahsan, Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam; Kingdom of Saudi Arabia E-mail: mahsan@iau.edu.sa

Abstract

Smoking is one of the predictors of decreased cardiopulmonary endurance. Gait disturbance may be due to many reasons, including cardiovascular endurance. This study aimed to determine differences in gait parameters between non-smoker and smoker participants. A cross-sectional design was employed, involving thirty non-smokers and thirty-seven smokers as participants. Detailed interviews were conducted to gather information on smoking habits, status, and history. Gait parameters were measured using a high-quality 3D accelerometer, 3D gyroscope, and barometric pressure sensors (Physilog4 from GaitUp). Anthropometric characteristics were described, and mean values with standard deviations (SD) were calculated. An independent two-tailed t-test was conducted to compare gait parameters between non-smokers and smokers, with statistical significance set at p<0.05. The analysis revealed significant differences in various gait parameters between non-smokers and smokers. Specifically, significant differences were found in cadence (t=9.95, p=0.001), stride length (t=6.85, p=0.001), stride velocity (t=-6.58, p=0.001), stance (t=2.02, p=0.001), swing (t=3.46, p=0.001), foot flat (t=-8.94, p=0.001), pushing (t=3.53, p=0.001), and double support (t=-13.35, p=0.001). However, no significant difference was found between non-smokers and smokers in the loading phase (t=-1.57, p= 0.121). There were significant differences in general and temporal gait parameters between smokers and non-smokers. Gait parameters provide valuable insights for evaluating functional performance and providing objective and quantitative data to assess gait disorders. Future studies should include longitudinal studies with large sample sizes to explore the effects of potential confounders on gait parameters.

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About this article

PMC ID: 10375359
PubMed ID: 
DOI: 10.25122/jml-2022-0347

Article Publishing Date (print): 5 2023
Available Online: 

Journal information

ISSN Printing: 1844-122X
ISSN Online: 1844-3117
Journal Title: Journal of Medicine and Life

Copyright License: Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.


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