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Walking While Typing on a Smartphone—Muscle Activity Analysis

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Proceedings of the 10th Congress of the Portuguese Society of Biomechanics (CNB 2023)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Bioengineering ((LNBE))

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Abstract

Previous studies reported that, in dual-task conditions, using a smartphone, the gait performance declines. Most of these studies assessed spatiotemporal gait parameters; however, few evaluated muscle activity. This study aimed to assess the effects of typing on a smartphone keyboard while simultaneously performing gait (motor dual-task: mot-DT) compared to normal gait (single-task: ST) on muscle activity in thirty-six healthy young adults (23.08 ± 3.92 years). Muscle activity was recorded bilaterally from five lower limb muscles: biceps femoris (BF), rectus femoris (RF), tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) using surface electromyographic signals. Muscle activity increased in most muscles analyzed from ST to mot-DT: TA and GM bilateral, GL and BF right-side muscles (p < 0.05). No differences were found between the BF and GL muscles on the left side from the single-task to the motor dual-task. In conclusion, performing a mot-DT promotes a decline in gait performance compared to ST once the increase of muscle activity during mot-DT can lead to a higher energy expenditure of walking.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge ROBOCORP, i2A, co-funded by QREN under the Programa Mais Centro of the Coordination Commission of the Central Region and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.

Maria António Castro acknowledges the support of the Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes—CEMMPRE of the University of Coimbra, which is sponsored by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) (UIDB/00285/2020, LA/P/0112/2020).

Funding

This research was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal, grant number 2021.08571.BD.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. RoboCorp Laboratory, i2A, Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Marina Saraiva & Maria António Castro

  2. Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes, CEMMPRE, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Marina Saraiva & Maria António Castro

  3. Dr. Lopes Dias Health School, Polytechnic Institute of Castelo Branco, Castelo Branco, Portugal

    Marina Saraiva

  4. School of Health Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Leiria, Portugal

    Maria António Castro

  5. LABIOMEP-UP, Faculty of Sports and CIFI2D, The University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    João Paulo Vilas-Boas

Authors
  1. Marina Saraiva
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  2. Maria António Castro
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  3. João Paulo Vilas-Boas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marina Saraiva .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Coimbra, CEMMPRE, ARISE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Coimbra, Portugal

    Ana Martins Amaro

  2. Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute of Engineering, CEMMPRE, ARISE, Coimbra, Portugal

    Luis Roseiro

  3. University of Coimbra, CEMMPRE, ARISE, Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra, Portugal

    Ana Lúcia Messias

  4. University of Coimbra, CIDAF, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, Coimbra, Portugal

    Beatriz Gomes

  5. Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, School of Technology and Management, CIIC, Leiria, Portugal

    Henrique Almeida

  6. Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, School of Health Sciences, Leiria, Portugal

    Maria António Castro

  7. University of Coimbra, CEMMPRE, ARISE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Coimbra, Portugal

    Maria Augusta Neto

  8. University of Coimbra, CEMMPRE, ARISE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Coimbra, Portugal

    Maria de Fátima Paulino

  9. University of Coimbra, CEMMPRE, ARISE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Coimbra, Portugal

    Vítor Maranha

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© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

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Saraiva, M., Castro, M.A., Vilas-Boas, J.P. (2023). Walking While Typing on a Smartphone—Muscle Activity Analysis. In: Martins Amaro, A., et al. Proceedings of the 10th Congress of the Portuguese Society of Biomechanics. CNB 2023. Lecture Notes in Bioengineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47790-4_43

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47790-4_43

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-47789-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-47790-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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