Instituto de Ciências da Atividade Física e Esporte, Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: ana.barela@cruzeirodosul.edu.br.
BACKGROUND: Exercises that could prevent gait impairment of older adults should be implemented in such a way that practitioners can keep motivation and adherence independent of older adults fitness levels.
OBJECTIVE: This study describes how younger and older adults use a non-pedal tricycle to transport their bodies along a pathway.
METHODS: Nine younger (24±4.9y) and nine older (66±4.0y) adults participated in this study. They moved along a straight pathway at a self-selected comfortable speed with reflective markers on their main lower limb landmarks. A computerized gait analysis system with infrared cameras was used to obtain kinematic data to calculate spatial-temporal parameters and lower limb angles.
RESULTS: Overall, participants from both groups were able to perform the task moving at a similar mean speed, with similar stride length and ankle joint excursion. Older adults had higher cadence (mean difference of 17steps/min; 95% CI=0.99-1.15) and hip excursion (mean difference of 12°; 95% CI=28-33), longer stance duration (mean difference of 3.4%; 95% CI=56.2-59.5), and lower knee excursion (mean difference of 6°; 95% CI=47.9-53.8) than younger adults.
CONCLUSION: Older adults were able to transport their body with a non-pedal tricycle with more hip and less knee excursion than younger adults. Professionals that work with the older population should look at and take into consideration the use of non-pedal tricycles in exercise protocols and investigate the long-term impacts.