Control of locomotion: The effect of visual obstruction and visual cues

Abstract

In this study the effects of visual obstruction and visual cues on human locomotion, when performing a targeting foot placement task while walking was examined. Subjects (N = 14) were instructed to place their foot on a target as accurately as possible while maintaining forward progression. Visual obstruction was achieved through use of basketball goggles, which blocked the subjects’ lower field of vision. There were four visual cues conditions (no visual cues, target-nonspecific-cues, target-specific-close cues, and target-specific-far cues). Accuracy was decreased by visual obstruction; this decrease was not mediated by visual cues. However, visual cues modified the swing kinematics and foot placement variability. Therefore, visual cues modified how the task was accomplished, but did not affect the outcome achieved. Increased head pitch range and head pitch minimum were observed, consistent with visual sampling prior to the target stride. Greater adjustments were observed in the penultimate stride, leading to a smooth targeting stride