Mobiles change the way we walk

STARING at smartphones while on the move is changing the way we walk.

Scientists have found that our strides becomes more exaggerated as we try to avoid tripping over hazards.

Experiments using a treadmill showed that volunteers distracted by dialling began walking in odd elongated steps – with their ankles fully flexed and the knees bending to peak position on every movement.

The University of Delaware team said the unusual gait might be a subconscious attempt to cut the risk of falling. The US research appeared in the Journal of Motor Behaviour.

Last July, a study from the University of Bath found that people walked more cautiously to avoid bumping into obstacles and tripping over hazards while they texted on their phones. They took 26 per cent longer to complete a journey.