Version 1
: Received: 8 July 2024 / Approved: 9 July 2024 / Online: 9 July 2024 (07:00:11 CEST)
How to cite:
Abu-Ghosh, S.; Moustafa, I. M.; Ahbouch, A.; Oakley, P. A.; Harrison, D. E. Cognitive Load and Dual-Task Performance in Individuals with and without Forward Head Posture. Preprints2024, 2024070698. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.0698.v1
Abu-Ghosh, S.; Moustafa, I. M.; Ahbouch, A.; Oakley, P. A.; Harrison, D. E. Cognitive Load and Dual-Task Performance in Individuals with and without Forward Head Posture. Preprints 2024, 2024070698. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.0698.v1
Abu-Ghosh, S.; Moustafa, I. M.; Ahbouch, A.; Oakley, P. A.; Harrison, D. E. Cognitive Load and Dual-Task Performance in Individuals with and without Forward Head Posture. Preprints2024, 2024070698. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.0698.v1
APA Style
Abu-Ghosh, S., Moustafa, I. M., Ahbouch, A., Oakley, P. A., & Harrison, D. E. (2024). Cognitive Load and Dual-Task Performance in Individuals with and without Forward Head Posture. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.0698.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Abu-Ghosh, S., Paul A. Oakley and Deed E. Harrison. 2024 "Cognitive Load and Dual-Task Performance in Individuals with and without Forward Head Posture" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.0698.v1
Abstract
Background: Recent studies have found forward head posture (FHP) to be associated with altered physiology, however, there is a lack of research into whether FHP is associated with altered gait parameters when cognitively challenged. The current study was undertaken to investigate the changes in gait parameters in asymptomatic individuals with FHP when a cognitive dual task is introduced during walking. Methods: Ninety asymptomatic participants were recruited, 45 having FHP defined as having a craniovertebral angle (CVA) < 50, and 45 sex and age-matched controls having normal head posture (NHP) defined as CVA > 55. All participants walked along a 10 meter platform under a control condition (no cognitive load) with 3 consecutive trials while an optical motion-capture system consisting of 8 infrared cameras was used to assess gait kinematics. Secondly, participants were assessed under a dual task cognitive load condition (3 trials while performing simple addition, counting backwards, and answering yes or no questions) to identify the impact on gait kinematics compared to the control condition. Results: Under the single task condition, there were no significant differences for any gait parameter, however, under the dual task condition, 12/13 gait parameters were significantly altered for the FHP group compared to the NHP group (p < .01). A calculation of dual task cost (DTC) percentage showed significant increases in all gait parameters in participants with FHP (p < .02). Correlations between the CVA and gait parameters were not significant for the single task condition, but all gait parameters were correlated to CVA for the dual task condition (p < .01). The correlation between CVA and DTC for all gait variables were also significant (p < .04). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that FHP significantly increases the cognitive cost during walking, highlighting the importance of proper postural alignment for maintaining cognitive function under a dual task condition. Addressing FHP through targeted interventions could improve both physical and cognitive health, enhancing overall well-being and daily functioning.
Medicine and Pharmacology, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
