NDLI: Age-related changes in gait adaptability in response to unpredictable obstacles and stepping targets.

Content Provider	World Health Organization (WHO)-Global Index Medicus
Author	Caetano, Maria Joana D. Lord, Stephen R. Schoene, Daniel Pelicioni, Paulo H. S. Sturnieks, Daina L. Menant, Jasmine C.
Description	Country affiliation: Australia Author Affiliation: Caetano MJ ( Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia); Lord SR ( Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia); Schoene D ( Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia); Pelicioni PH ( Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia); Sturnieks DL ( Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia); Menant JC ( Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia)
Abstract	BACKGROUND: A large proportion of falls in older people occur when walking. Limitations in gait adaptability might contribute to tripping; a frequently reported cause of falls in this group. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate age-related changes in gait adaptability in response to obstacles or stepping targets presented at short notice, i.e.: approximately two steps ahead. METHODS: Fifty older adults (aged 74±7 years; 34 females) and 21 young adults (aged 26±4 years; 12 females) completed 3 usual gait speed (baseline) trials. They then completed the following randomly presented gait adaptability trials: obstacle avoidance, short stepping target, long stepping target and no target/obstacle (3 trials of each). RESULTS: Compared with the young, the older adults slowed significantly in no target/obstacle trials compared with the baseline trials. They took more steps and spent more time in double support while approaching the obstacle and stepping targets, demonstrated poorer stepping accuracy and made more stepping errors (failed to hit the stepping targets/avoid the obstacle). The older adults also reduced velocity of the two preceding steps and shortened the previous step in the long stepping target condition and in the obstacle avoidance condition. CONCLUSION: Compared with their younger counterparts, the older adults exhibited a more conservative adaptation strategy characterised by slow, short and multiple steps with longer time in double support. Even so, they demonstrated poorer stepping accuracy and made more stepping errors. This reduced gait adaptability may place older adults at increased risk of falling when negotiating unexpected hazards.
File Format	HTM / HTML
ISSN	09666362
Journal	Gait & Posture
Volume Number	46
e-ISSN	18792219
Language	English
Publisher	Elsevier
Publisher Date	2016-05-01
Publisher Place	Great Britain (UK)
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Discipline Orthopedics
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Rehabilitation Biophysics Sports Science

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in