Gender differences in three dimensional gait analysis data from 98 healthy Korean adults.

OBJECTIVES The research hypothesis was that healthy adults would walk differently according to their gender when walked barefoot at their comfortable speed. The aim of this study was to prove the hypothesis in healthy Korean adults. DESIGN Between-gender statistical comparisons of the gait analysis data including spatiotemporal, three-dimensional joint kinematic and kinetic data. BACKGROUND There have been few attempts to identify the significant gender differences in gait pattern and to explore their possible causes. METHODS Healthy 98 Korean adults (47 females and 51 males) volunteered. Gait analysis data was obtained with opto-electric system and force plates. Normalization was used to avoid the body size effect. Gender difference was tested with independent t-test, ancova, and two-way repeated anova. RESULTS Females were shorter, both in height and leg length ( P < 0.05 ). The cadence and pelvic width were as great as in males. They walked slower than males due to shorter stride length ( P < 0.05 ). The females had still shorter stride length and narrower step width ( P < 0.05 ), and they walked as fast as the males. Females walked with their pelvis tilted more anteriorly and more up and down oblique motion, hip joints more flexed-adducted-internally rotated, knee joint in more valgus angles ( P = 0.05 ). CONCLUSIONS The gait analysis data had significant gender differences. We assume that the difference is due to gender features of the gait-related anatomy and habits. Comparison with other research shows some evidence for racial differences.