Comparative Analyses of Relationship among Age, Anthropometric Parameters and Gait Characteristics of Ambulant with Normal and Forward Head Postures

Background Forward Head Posture (FHP) is an epidemic that has become more prevalent in recent times, with paucity of data on its effects on gait. This study aims to assess, compare and determine the relationship among age, anthropometric parameters and gait characteristics of ambulant with Normal and Forward Head Postures. Methods 84 apparently healthy participants consented to participate in this pre-experimental study. Age, sex, weight and height of the participants were obtained. The participants were trained and instructed to walk a 8 meter walkway, with the floor sprinkled with white powder to obtain foot mark while maintaining two head postures (69° and 120° for normal and Forward Head Postures respectively). A rest interval of 30 minutes was observed before changing postures. Foot prints obtained from the powdered gait walkway were used to assess foot angle, cadence, stride length, step length and walking velocity. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results The mean age of the participants was 21.92 ± 2.55years. Ambulation with normal head posture and forward head posture had mean values for foot angle (7.74 ± 2.02°, 7.58 ± 1.95°) cadence (107.83 ± 11.69cm, 111.02 ± 11.26cm) step length (65.45 ± 7.97cm, 68.68 ± 7.30cm) stride length (131.15 ± 17.11cm, 135.96 ± 15.12cm) and walking velocity (1.19 ± 0.32m/s, 1.13 ± 0.20m/s) respectively. There was significant difference in only the gait step length during ambulation with FHP (t = -2.74, p = 0.007). Cadence have significant relationships with age, height and step length (r = -0.28, p = 0.01; r = − .0.28, p = 0.01 and r = 0.43, 0.01). Step length have significant relationships only with weight and height (r = 0.34, p = 0.01 and r = 0.43, 0.01) while stride length had significant relationship only with height (r = 0.32, p = 0.01) in abnormal head posture. Similar trends were observed during ambulation with normal head posture. Conclusions Forward Head Posture (FHP) did not significantly alter most gait characteristics when compared to normal head posture. Cadence and step length have significant relationships with age, weight and height, irrespective of normal or abnormal posture. In FHP ambulation, Stride length had significant relationship only with height.