New study shows: Smartphones are making us walk like cowboys

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“Study results show that the body goes into a kind of safety mode when using a smartphone. While walking speed decreases, there is simultaneously an increase in step width,” research project leader Sebastian Durstberger said in a statement from the University of Applied Sciences on Monday.

For the study, 27 participants walked on a special treadmill in front of a large screen. Typical street sounds also ensured the conditions were as realistic as possible.

Movements were recorded using sensors, displayed and analyzed in 3D models. The placement of the feet and the force distribution were also recorded. Test subjects had to work on arithmetic tasks, once in their heads and once on their smartphones, while walking. “This allowed us to find out whether focusing on one thing alone or using a smartphone had an effect on walking,” says Durstberger.

According to scientists, shorter and wider steps lead to more stress on the outer part of the knee joint and may be accompanied by a slight X position. According to researchers, in the long run, this “text walker” gait can permanently damage the meniscus and cartilage and reduce their flexibility.

(SDA)

Source : Blick