Effects of lifestyle activity level on anticipatory locomotor adjustments for pedestrian circumvention: an exploratory study.

Navigating public environments requires adjustments to one's walking patterns to avoid stationary and moving obstacles. It is known that physical inactivity induces alterations in motor capacities, but the impact of inactivity on anticipatory locomotor adjustments (ALA) has not been studied. The purpose of the present exploratory study was to compare ALAs and related muscle co-contraction during a pedestrian circumvention task between active (AA) and inactive young adults (IA). Fourteen AA and fourteen IA were placed in a virtual environment simulating a public park. Participants circumvented virtual pedestrians walking towards them. Walking speed, onset of deviation, clearance, foot placement strategies and muscle co-contraction were analysed on a total of 26 participants (13 in each group; 2 excluded due to technical issues). IA exhibited slower walking speeds compared to the AA during circumvention condition but not during unobstructed walking condition. The distance at the onset of trajectory deviation was larger for IA. Both groups increased co-contraction for pedestrian circumvention at the ankle and left hip and IA displayed greater ankle co-contraction overall. No significant group differences were observed in minimum clearance. This study suggests that an inactive lifestyle influences ALAs by inducing a cautious behavior during pedestrian circumvention.