Gait Characteristics during Dual-Task Walking in Elderly Subjects of Different Ages
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Background: In older age, walking ability gradually decreases due to factors including impaired balance, reduced muscle strength, and impaired vision and proprioception. Further, cognitive functions play a key role during walking and gradually decline with age. There is greater variability in gait parameters when the demands during walking increase, in dual- and multiple-task situations. The aim of this study was to analyze gait parameters while performing a demanding cognitive and motor dual task in three different age-related healthy elderly subject groups. Method: A total of 132 healthy individuals (54 males, 78 females) were divided into three groups—55 to 65, 66 to 75, and 76 to 85 years. The subjects performed a basic walking task, dual motor task, dual mental task, and combined motor and mental task while walking. The gait parameters cycle time, stride length, swing time, and double support time were noted, as well as the variability of those parameters. Results: Cycle time was ...longer and stride length was shorter in the >76-year-old group than in the 51–65-year-old group in all test conditions. A comparison of all three groups did not show a significant difference in swing time, while double support time was increased in the same group. Conclusions: Changes are observed when gait is performed simultaneously with an additional motor or cognitive task. Early detection of gait disorders can help identify elderly people at increased risk of falls. Employing a dual-task paradigm during gait assessment in healthy elderly subjects may help identify cognitive impairment early in the course of the disturbance.
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healthy elderly / aging / gait cycle / stride cycle / dual task / multiple taskSource:
Brain Sciences, 2024, 14, 2, 148-Publisher:
- MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)
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Institut za medicinska istraživanjaTY - JOUR AU - Nedović, Nenad AU - Eminović, Fadilj AU - Marković, Vladana AU - Stanković, Iva AU - Radovanović, Saša PY - 2024 UR - http://rimi.imi.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1454 AB - Background: In older age, walking ability gradually decreases due to factors including impaired balance, reduced muscle strength, and impaired vision and proprioception. Further, cognitive functions play a key role during walking and gradually decline with age. There is greater variability in gait parameters when the demands during walking increase, in dual- and multiple-task situations. The aim of this study was to analyze gait parameters while performing a demanding cognitive and motor dual task in three different age-related healthy elderly subject groups. Method: A total of 132 healthy individuals (54 males, 78 females) were divided into three groups—55 to 65, 66 to 75, and 76 to 85 years. The subjects performed a basic walking task, dual motor task, dual mental task, and combined motor and mental task while walking. The gait parameters cycle time, stride length, swing time, and double support time were noted, as well as the variability of those parameters. Results: Cycle time was longer and stride length was shorter in the >76-year-old group than in the 51–65-year-old group in all test conditions. A comparison of all three groups did not show a significant difference in swing time, while double support time was increased in the same group. Conclusions: Changes are observed when gait is performed simultaneously with an additional motor or cognitive task. Early detection of gait disorders can help identify elderly people at increased risk of falls. Employing a dual-task paradigm during gait assessment in healthy elderly subjects may help identify cognitive impairment early in the course of the disturbance. PB - MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute) T2 - Brain Sciences T1 - Gait Characteristics during Dual-Task Walking in Elderly Subjects of Different Ages IS - 2 SP - 148 VL - 14 DO - 10.3390/brainsci14020148 ER -
@article{ author = "Nedović, Nenad and Eminović, Fadilj and Marković, Vladana and Stanković, Iva and Radovanović, Saša", year = "2024", abstract = "Background: In older age, walking ability gradually decreases due to factors including impaired balance, reduced muscle strength, and impaired vision and proprioception. Further, cognitive functions play a key role during walking and gradually decline with age. There is greater variability in gait parameters when the demands during walking increase, in dual- and multiple-task situations. The aim of this study was to analyze gait parameters while performing a demanding cognitive and motor dual task in three different age-related healthy elderly subject groups. Method: A total of 132 healthy individuals (54 males, 78 females) were divided into three groups—55 to 65, 66 to 75, and 76 to 85 years. The subjects performed a basic walking task, dual motor task, dual mental task, and combined motor and mental task while walking. The gait parameters cycle time, stride length, swing time, and double support time were noted, as well as the variability of those parameters. Results: Cycle time was longer and stride length was shorter in the >76-year-old group than in the 51–65-year-old group in all test conditions. A comparison of all three groups did not show a significant difference in swing time, while double support time was increased in the same group. Conclusions: Changes are observed when gait is performed simultaneously with an additional motor or cognitive task. Early detection of gait disorders can help identify elderly people at increased risk of falls. Employing a dual-task paradigm during gait assessment in healthy elderly subjects may help identify cognitive impairment early in the course of the disturbance.", publisher = "MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)", journal = "Brain Sciences", title = "Gait Characteristics during Dual-Task Walking in Elderly Subjects of Different Ages", number = "2", pages = "148", volume = "14", doi = "10.3390/brainsci14020148" }
Nedović, N., Eminović, F., Marković, V., Stanković, I.,& Radovanović, S.. (2024). Gait Characteristics during Dual-Task Walking in Elderly Subjects of Different Ages. in Brain Sciences MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)., 14(2), 148. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14020148
Nedović N, Eminović F, Marković V, Stanković I, Radovanović S. Gait Characteristics during Dual-Task Walking in Elderly Subjects of Different Ages. in Brain Sciences. 2024;14(2):148. doi:10.3390/brainsci14020148 .
Nedović, Nenad, Eminović, Fadilj, Marković, Vladana, Stanković, Iva, Radovanović, Saša, "Gait Characteristics during Dual-Task Walking in Elderly Subjects of Different Ages" in Brain Sciences, 14, no. 2 (2024):148, https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14020148 . .