Do Men and Women Walk Differently? A Review and Meta-Analysis of Sex Difference in Non-Pathological Gait Kinematics

Abstract : The common perception that men and women walk differently has been supported by studies in psychology and human perception; however, in modern empirical kinematic studies, sex differences are surprisingly limited, contradictory, or equivocal. Interest in sex differences spans many fields, from psychology to medicine to surveillance. In this review, we assemble and analyze what is known about spatiotemporal and kinematic variables of female and male gait. Historical perspectives, which indicate that sex is identifiable from point-light walkers, are briefly canvassed to help guide identification of structural and kinematic differences. Both spatiotemporal and kinematic data from the past three decades are then presented and discussed. We further analyze the published data in order to identify how height-normalization may affect noted spatiotemporal differences between the sexes. Subsequently, gaps in published data, and the implication of such missing information on gait analysis, are identified. From the analysis performed herein, we suggest that the pooled literature indicates that gait speed decreases with age, and, furthermore, decreases more for women than men. The meta-analysis of spatiotemporal variables normalized to height implies that step length is height-dependent, and, when height-matched, women may walk at a slightly faster preferred speed than men. The compilation of kinematic data suggests that coronal plane pelvis and hip range of motion may be different between the sexes. However, further investigation is needed on nearly every body segment, with special attention to the torso and upper extremities, to explain and quantify or refute gait differences as identified through perception and psychology literature.