Analysis of the Gait Adaptation Process to Shoe-Wearing Using an Obstacle Crossing Task

In adaptive walking, research has used a task in which participants cross obstacles while walking. The effects of footwear on the embodiment process of motor-adaptation strategies are not clear, mainly because the footwear is not considered to be a major factor in motor-adaptation strategies. This study aimed to examine how wearing shoes affects obstacle-crossing strategies and the adaptive processes during walking by comparing foot clearance between shod and barefoot conditions. Nineteen healthy young adult females performed a 0.10 m obstacle-crossing task under two walking conditions: barefoot and wearing shoes. Foot clearance, defined as the vertical distance from the plantar region of foot to the obstacle, was calculated, and changes in foot clearance were analyzed across trials, between the lead and trail limbs, and between barefoot and wearing shoes conditions. The results showed no significant differences in foot clearance between barefoot and shoes conditions for either limb, and thus the embodiment process of footwear during obstacle crossing was not confirmed. In contrast, a learning effect was suggested only in the trail limb, as its foot clearance decreased progressively with repeated trials, unlike the lead limb. These findings provide insight not only into addressing societal issues such as fall prevention in older adults, but also into applications in sports science. They may help clarify skilled motor control in athletes from the perspective of tool embodiment during obstacle-avoidance tasks.