Citation

Dunlap P, Perera S, Vanswearingen JM, Wert D, Brach JS. Gait Posture 2012; 35(1): 92-95.

Affiliation

Department of Physical Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.gaitpost.2011.08.013

PMID

21944475

PMCID

PMC3250559

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Everyday ambulation requires navigation of variable terrain, transitions from wide to narrow pathways, and avoiding obstacles. While the effect of age on the transition to a narrow path has been examined briefly, little is known about the impact of fear of falling on gait during the transition to a narrow path. The purpose was to examine the effect of age and fear of falling on gait during transition to a narrow path. METHODS: In 31 young, mean age=25.3 years, and 30 older adults, mean age=79.6 years, step length, step time, step width and gait speed were examined during usual and transition to narrow pathway using an instrumented walkway. FINDINGS: During the transition to narrow walk condition, fearful older adults compared to young had a wider step width (0.06m vs 0.04m) prior to the narrow path and took shorter steps (0.53m vs 0.72m; p<0.001). Compared to non-fearful older adults, fearful older adults walked slower and took shorter steps during narrow path walking (gait speed: 1.1m/s vs 0.82m/s; p=0.01; step length: 0.60m vs 0.47m; p=0.03). In young and non-fearful older adults narrow path gait was similar to usual gait. Whereas older adults who were fearful, walked slower (0.82m/s vs 0.91m/s; p=0.001) and took shorter steps (0.44m vs 0.53m; p=0.004) during narrow path walking compared to usual walking. INTERPRETATION: Changes in gait characteristics with transitioning to a narrow pathway were greater for fear of falling than for age.

Language: en