Can receiving a phone call alter a person's gait?

Three participants comprising of 2 females and 1 male were filmed walking 48 meters on a clear concrete footpath at the University of Northampton sports grounds, whilst reciting the alphabet (repeatedly). A footpath was selected so that it would reflect a real-life situation, as well as controlling safety for all participants. At 24 meters participants were asked to turn and walk back the same distance towards the camera to capture both angles of participants for analysis purposes, therefore capturing participants’ oblique to the line of progression. Filming was performed on the same hand-held device. Once filming was completed, footage was uploaded on to a laptop to produce a viewing platform for gait analysis by thirty third-year podiatry students. On a one-to-one basis, a total of six videos were shown, all less than one minute, which equalled two videos per walking participant (one without phone and one with phone). The average time spent on completing the task was one hour. The podiatry students could stop and slow down participants’ gait, allowing them to accurately visualise foot placements and base of gait. A forensic gait analysis form devised by Birch and used in forensic casework was used to undertake a thematic analysis for 19 stages of gait identified on the form. The analysis found that when recieving a phone call, gait was altered in 12 out of the 19 stages found on the form.