Background:​ Maintaining balance while walking in different settings is important for independent living and quality of life. The influence of setting on walking balance control is yet to be established and may contribute new information regarding reported changes to spatiotemporal gait parameters between settings. Walking in different settings is likely impacted by complex interactions between characteristics of individual (e.g., sex, body height, body mass), tasks (e.g., speed), and the environment (e.g., pathway width) that are currently not well understood.

Purpose:​ To characterize the effects of individual, task, and environment characteristics on walking balance control in different settings for young adults. A portable inertial and magnetic measurement unit (IMMU) based motion capture system was used to examine walking balance control in different settings.

Methods and results

Study 1:​ This study examined the effects of setting and sex on balance control during walking at different speeds in young adults. Forty-two adults (21 male (23 ± 4 years), 21 female (24 ± 5 years)) completed overground walking trials in four settings:​ laboratory (10 m), hallway, indoor open, and outdoor pathway settings (all 20 m in length) at three speeds (slow, preferred, fast). Significant setting by speed interactions (p < .001) were present for medial-lateral (ML) and anterior-posterior (AP) total body angular momentum range (H_ML range and H_AP range) and centre of mass time to boundary (COM_TTB). H_ML range was greater in the laboratory and hallway compared to the indoor open and outdoor pathway setting for slow speed only. H_AP range and COM_TTB had lower values in the outdoor pathway compared to all indoor settings at slow and preferred speeds. COM_TTB had lower values in the indoor open setting compared to the laboratory and hallway at preferred speeds. Differences in H_AP range and COM_TTB between settings were more pronounced at the slow speed condition. Across setting and speed conditions, H_ML range was greater for males compared to females.

Study 2:​ This study examined the impact of setting and speed condition on the variance explained by body height and body mass after controlling for stride velocity and sex. Seventyseven adults (36 male (24 ± 4 years), 41 female (24 ± 5 years)) completed 20 m overground walking trials in a hallway and an open setting at three speeds (slow, preferred, fast). For all walking outcomes, the variance explained by body height and body mass differed between settings by less than the amount of variance needed for statistical significance at all speed conditions. Body height explained a significant amount of variance in COM_TTB, stride length normalized to body height (SLN), and cadence. Body mass explained a significant amount of variance in H_ML range, COM_TTB, and cadence.

Study 3:​ This study examined the effects of different lateral pathway constraints and sex on walking in young adults. Thirty-eight adults (17 male (25 ± 3 years), 21 female (24 ± 4 years)) completed overground walking trials in settings with different lateral constraints:​ open (no constraints), open pathway (1.9 m pathway width defined by lines on the floor), and hallway (1.9 m pathway width defined by walls). In each setting, 20 m trials were completed at three speeds (slow, preferred, fast). SLN was longer in the open compared to the open pathway setting. Stride velocity, SLN, and cadence increased from slow to preferred to fast speed conditions. Double support phase percentage (%DS), H_ML range, H_AP range, and COM_TTB decreased from slow to preferred to fast speed conditions. Across settings and at slow speeds, females had larger SLN and lower %DS compared to males. Females had higher cadence compared to males across setting and speed conditions. COM_TTB was longer for males compared to females across setting and speed conditions.

Conclusion:​ Results from all three studies collectively highlight the importance of considering biological sex for accurate and inclusive walking balance control assessments. Study 1 results indicate that setting characteristics, such as walkway length and the outdoor environment, may be important to consider with walking balance control assessments. The results of Study 2 imply that:​ sex, body height, and body mass may need to be considered in walking assessments for accurate and generalizable interpretations;​ and the influence of sex, body height, and body mass on walking could be similar between settings with unobstructed walkways. Results of Study 3 suggest that walking behaviour in wide hallways may be comparable to walking behaviour in large indoor open settings.