Turning When Using Smartphone in Persons With and Those Without Neurologic Conditions: Observational Study

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics of human locomotion
• Neurological rehabilitation
• Human-computer interaction

Background:

• Turning during walking is crucial for everyday mobility and relies on coordinated movements.
• Impaired turning, known as en bloc turning, is associated with an increased risk of falls.
• While smartphone use is linked to balance issues, its impact on turning has not been studied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how smartphone use affects turning-while-walking in healthy individuals of different ages and those with neurological conditions.
• To analyze changes in turning kinematics and intersegmental coordination during smartphone use.

Main Methods:

• 121 participants (healthy young/old, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, lower-back pain) performed turning-while-walking under single-task and dual-task (cognitive) conditions.
• A motion capture system and turning detection algorithm analyzed general, segmental, and intersegmental turning parameters.
• Cognitive tasks included a simple reaction time test and a numerical Stroop test.

Main Results:

• All participants exhibited en bloc turning when using a smartphone, indicated by reduced intersegmental turning onset latency and maximum intersegmental angle.
• Individuals with Parkinson disease showed the most significant reduction in peak angular velocity when using a smartphone.
• Participants with stroke demonstrated en bloc turning even without smartphone use.

Conclusions:

• Smartphone use during turning may increase fall risk across diverse populations by inducing en bloc turning.
• This behavior is especially concerning for individuals with Parkinson disease due to pronounced kinematic changes.
• The findings suggest potential clinical applications for differentiating neurological conditions and highlight the need for further research on fall risk and smartphone use.