Article

Despite cross-slope surfaces being a regular feature of our environment, little
is known about segmental adaptations required to maintain both balance and
forward locomotion. The purpose of this study was to determine kinematic
adaptations of the foot segments in relation to transverse (cross-sloped) walking
surfaces. Ten young adult males walked barefoot along an inclinable walkway
(level, 0 degrees and cross-slope, 10 degrees ). Kinematic adaptations of
hindfoot with respect to tibia (HF/TB), forefoot with respect to hindfoot
(FF/HF), and hallux with respect to forefoot (HX/FF) in level walking (LW),
inclined walking up-slope (IWU), i.e., the foot at the higher elevation, and
inclined walking down-slope (IWD), i.e., the foot at the lower elevation, were
measured. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) for repeated measures was
used to analyze the data. In the sagittal plane, the relative FF/HF and HX/FF
plantar/dorsiflexion angles differed across conditions (p=0.024 and p=0.026,
respectively). More importantly, numerous frontal plane alterations occurred. For
the HF/TB angle, inversion of IWU and eversion of IWD was seen at heel-strike
(p<0.001). This pattern reversed with IWU showing eversion and IWD inversion in
early stance (p=0.024). For the FF/HF angle, significant differences were
observed in mid-stance with IWD revealing inversion while IWU was everted
(p<0.004). At toe-off, the pattern switched to eversion of IWD and inversion of
IWU (p=0.032). The information obtained from this study enhances our
understanding of the kinematics of the human foot in stance during level and
cross-slope walking.
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