Gait Variability in Young Adults Across Environmental and Experimental Conditions: A Multimethod Biomechanical Investigation

This study examined biomechanical gait variations between outdoor and laboratory environments in healthy populations, and the impacts of task conditions (speed control, force plate stepping, or dual-task) versus non-task conditions. Thirty healthy participants (16 males, 14 females; mean age = 22.41 2.7 years) underwent gait analysis using the Xsens motion capture system across five experimental conditions: outdoor natural walking, indoor non-task, single-task force plate stepping, single-task speed control, and dual-task force plate stepping with speed restriction. Spatiotemporal parameters, sagittal plane kinematics of the hip, knee, and ankle joints, and dynamic stability of acceleration data (evaluated via Refined Composite Multiscale Entropy and Recurrence Quantification Analysis) were analyzed.Key findingsrevealed significant environmental-dependent differences in spatiotemporal gait parameters, with joint angles generally lower outdoors compared to indoors. Acceleration dynamic stability also exhibited environmental specificity. Under task conditions, participants demonstrated continuous spatiotemporal adjustments when approaching a force plate, alongside joint angle variations. Task-induced effects significantly altered acceleration dynamic stability, increasing entropy and decreasing recurrence rates.These results demonstrate that human gait undergoes substantial modifications in spatiotemporal patterns, joint angles, and dynamic stability between indoor and outdoor environments. Furthermore, specific experimental constraints may introduce artifacts deviating from natural movement patterns.