TEXTwalker

Project duration: August 2019 to September 2020

Walking while using a smartphone at the same time is increasingly becoming an everyday activity. Previous studies have shown that this leads to changes in the gait patterns.

To date, no research group has been able to demonstrate whether this change in gait has a negative effect on the joints. Using the new virtual reality system GRAIL (Gait Realtime Analysis Interactive Lab), the Movement Laboratory at FH Campus Wien is the first research unit in Austria that is able to investigate such adverse effects on the joints.

In a randomized cross-over study with 30 participants, the effects of walking with a smartphone on the kinetics of the lower extremities will be investigated. The study will also examine how focusing on the smartphone affects stability after a stumble and whether there is an increased risk of falling as a result. The study will be conducted on an instrumented treadmill with a split treadmill belt. A 180° projection surface is used to create a virtual road environment.