Mass-normalized internal mechanical work in walking is not impaired in adults with class III obesity

It has been suggested that internal mechanical work (i.e., the work required to move the limbs with respect to the center of mass, W int ) may be responsible for the higher net cost of walking in obese adults, but this variable has not yet been studied in individuals with obesity. The main finding of the present study is that individuals with class III obesity exhibit a similar amount of mass-normalized W int to that of adults with a normal body weight, suggesting that body mass-relative W int is not affected by obesity and is not responsible for the higher energy cost and the lower efficiency of walking in this population.