Learning to collect gait data with the Pressure-Sensitive Walkway and Vicon Motion Capture

Author: Stephanie Cotariu | Major: Exercise Science, French Language | Semester: Fall 2024

My name is Stephanie Cotariu; I am a senior studying Exercise Science and French through the College of Education and Health Professions and Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. My research falls under the direction of Dr. Abigail Schmitt, Assistant Professor in Health, Human Performance, and Recreation. Following completion of my undergraduate degrees, I will be staying at the University of Arkansas to complete my Master of Science in Exercise Science through the Accelerated Master’s Program, then continuing to pursue degrees in Physical Therapy and Athletic Training.

My research thesis is a subset of the larger Community-Based Walking (CBW) Project in the Neuromechanics of Human Movement Laboratory. Using a pressure-sensitive walkway, or gait mat, we conduct community-based walking assessments throughout Northwest Arkansas (NWA) to explore how injury and disease influence movement. The walkway looks like a long floor runner and contains a grid of sensors; as someone walks across it, these sensors record gait features including cadence, velocity, and time spent on each foot. The mat is easily portable, and throughout our research we have been welcomed by many facilities in NWA to perform our assessments. Each assessment lasts approximately 20 minutes and includes a health history questionnaire and multiple walking assessments. Within the questionnaire, participants select previously diagnosed physical or psychological conditions, such as hypertension, cancer, arthritis, anxiety, and depression. My aspect of the project evaluates the relationship between gait and anxiety. Participants with anxiety then answer two clinical anxiety scales, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-Item and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory.

In my initial meetings with Dr. Schmitt discussing the CBW project, I learned there was an opportunity to evaluate psychological conditions through the project. Having dealt with anxiety since a young age, I saw this as an opportunity to incorporate my personal experience and connection with anxiety into my research. As I began to review literature prior to working in the lab, I discovered that research already exists demonstrating changes in gait with anxiety. I noticed the existing research uses the term “anxiety” broadly and employs many different methods of assessing gait. I found the use of the pressure sensitive walkway is unique to my research and is a more practical method than prior studies. From my literature review, my study’s purpose became to address methodology that is more feasible for practical application.

Researchers agree that gait measurements could be useful as an additional, objective way to screen patients for anxiety, to complement the subjective questionnaires currently in use. The challenge is that the prior methods tested are impractical for the clinical environment. I believe if we can see the correlation between anxiety reflected in questionnaire scores and gait measured on the walkway, this would be a highly feasible method to incorporate into anxiety assessment, evaluation, and diagnosis. This would be a realistic mechanism to provide a more holistic view of a patient’s anxiety and to reduce the chance that bias prevents someone from receiving treatment.

During Fall 2024, we focused on pilot testing and data collection. One of our most significant challenges was synchronization of scheduling. Once we received permission from a site to perform our research, we needed to coordinate a large enough research team to administer the electronic questionnaires, run the gait assessments, and operate the walkway and its accompanying computer system. Because our team includes both undergraduate and doctoral students, this required us to balance many diverse schedules to be successful.

Once onsite, another challenge we discovered was that people might be reticent to participate. Ideal research would include a wide variety of gait patterns among the data, but many people will say they cannot participate because they cannot walk “well enough.” I learned how to explain and personalize our project to an individual. Another growth opportunity I found was adapting to questions received, as many participants want to understand how the technology works and why it is significant; this required me to further my own knowledge and to develop my ability to explain in a way that is understandable to the end user. As a result, this has given me confidence in my own competence as a student and a researcher.

I have been fortunate to be part of the lab team. Dr. Schmitt has been incredibly supportive to me, both as my research mentor and advisor. She has guided me through the research process, to include exploring thesis topics, writing formal project proposals, and training me to collect data for the CBW project. She has also served as an advisor as I begin my graduate studies through the Accelerated Master’s Program in Exercise Science.

I have also had the opportunity to work closely with one of our doctoral students, Ashlyn Jendro, who has trained me in data processing for the CBW project, as well as data collection and processing for her own dissertation regarding gait during obstacle crossing. Through her mentorship I have gained additional research experience and built skills working with both the gait mat and with more complex motion capture technology.

As our team finishes data collections, we have begun processing gait data from our community assessments. In the new semester, I am looking forward to completing the statistical analysis and summarizing results in order to draw conclusions from my findings. I will be completing my final report and presentation to formally defend my thesis prior to graduation. Following this, I am eager to continue my research as an Accelerated Master’s student by looking for additional trends and correlations in our data related to gait and anxiety.