Project Details
Description
The overall aim of our research is to reduce joint pain during walking for individuals with obesity. This could
increase physical activity, promote weight loss, and reduce the risk of developing or exacerbating musculoskeletal
conditions such as osteoarthritis. This project will focus on understanding the acceptability of gait retraining and
orthotic insoles as non-invasive approaches for reducing joint pain for individuals with obesity. Gait retraining and
orthotic insoles have both been shown to be effective methods for reducing force at targeted joints in healthy
individuals, individuals with osteoarthritis, and individuals that are overweight. However, it is unknown if these
methods work for individuals with severe obesity.
This project will be a collaborative venture with the Bariatric team from the unit at the Calderdale and Huddersfield
NHS Foundation Trust. We will use workshops to explore how individuals with obesity perceive methods for
measuring the walking gait and approaches to altering gait to reduce joint pain, such as gait retraining and orthotic
insoles. For example, we will explore how much walking would be deemed acceptable during gait analysis, and
comfort levels when wearing minimal clothing and having markers attached to the body. Attitudes towards wearing
insoles and gait retraining interventions as well as any existing barriers to exercise will also be explored. This
information will then be used to inform experimental procedures for further investigations on interventions to
reduce joint pain for individuals with obesity.
We will publicise this project, and subsequent outputs, through the university’s social media platforms as well as
present relevant outcomes at appropriate surgical and gait related research meeting. A short briefing paper
(aimed at practitioners) will also be shared with the bariatric surgery unit at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS
Foundation Trust.
increase physical activity, promote weight loss, and reduce the risk of developing or exacerbating musculoskeletal
conditions such as osteoarthritis. This project will focus on understanding the acceptability of gait retraining and
orthotic insoles as non-invasive approaches for reducing joint pain for individuals with obesity. Gait retraining and
orthotic insoles have both been shown to be effective methods for reducing force at targeted joints in healthy
individuals, individuals with osteoarthritis, and individuals that are overweight. However, it is unknown if these
methods work for individuals with severe obesity.
This project will be a collaborative venture with the Bariatric team from the unit at the Calderdale and Huddersfield
NHS Foundation Trust. We will use workshops to explore how individuals with obesity perceive methods for
measuring the walking gait and approaches to altering gait to reduce joint pain, such as gait retraining and orthotic
insoles. For example, we will explore how much walking would be deemed acceptable during gait analysis, and
comfort levels when wearing minimal clothing and having markers attached to the body. Attitudes towards wearing
insoles and gait retraining interventions as well as any existing barriers to exercise will also be explored. This
information will then be used to inform experimental procedures for further investigations on interventions to
reduce joint pain for individuals with obesity.
We will publicise this project, and subsequent outputs, through the university’s social media platforms as well as
present relevant outcomes at appropriate surgical and gait related research meeting. A short briefing paper
(aimed at practitioners) will also be shared with the bariatric surgery unit at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS
Foundation Trust.
| Status | Finished |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 1/08/25 → 30/11/25 |
Fingerprint
Explore the research topics touched on by this project. These labels are generated based on the underlying awards/grants. Together they form a unique fingerprint.