Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 13, 2026
08:19
Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion
Published on: January 15, 2016
9.4K
Human gait at sea while walking fore-aft vs. athwart
Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance
|May 7, 2015
Summary
Maritime crew gait timing differs when walking fore-aft versus athwartship. Ship motion significantly impacts stride time variability and gait patterns at sea.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Human locomotion
- Maritime studies
Background:
- Gait changes during sea travel are known but lack quantitative experimental data.
- This study addresses the need for objective gait analysis in maritime environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively evaluate gait parameters in maritime crewmembers under ship motion conditions.
- To investigate how ship's roll and pitch influence step-timing patterns.
Main Methods:
- A within-subjects design was employed with maritime crewmembers walking on a ship.
- Gait temporal parameters (stride time, variability, coefficient of variation) were measured using foot-mounted contact switches.
- Detrended fluctuation analysis assessed stride time dynamics.
Main Results:
- Stride time variability was significantly different between fore-aft (0.10 s) and athwartship (0.28 s) walking.
- The coefficient of variation for stride time also differed significantly (11% fore-aft vs. 43% athwartship).
Conclusions:
- Ship motions in roll and pitch demonstrably affect human gait timing.
- This provides direct evidence of differential impacts on stepping patterns, warranting further quantitative gait research at sea.
