The effects of a simultaneous cognitive or motor task on the kinematics of walking in older fallers and non-fallers

Autor(es)

Freire Junior, Renato Campos ; Porto, Jaqueline Mello ; Marques, Nise Ribeiro ; Magnani, Paola Errera ; Carvalho de Abreu, Daniela Cristina

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCE; v. 51, p. 146-152, JAN 2017.
• Citações Web of Science: 7

Resumo

Human gait has been widely investigated under dual-task conditions because it has been demonstrated to be an important way to uncover differences in gait biomechanics between older fallers and non-fallers. However, exactly how simultaneous tasks affect the kinematics of walking remains unclear. In the present study, gait kinematic properties of older fallers and non-fallers were compared under cognitive and motor dual-task conditions. The gait kinematic properties of interest were recorded under three different conditions: walking at preferred speed, walking when performing a cognitive task (naming animals), and walking when performing a motor task (transferring a coin from one pocket to the other). The following variables were analyzed: gait speed, cadence, stride time, step length, single support, stride time variability, and the dual-task cost. In addition, functional balance was evaluated by means of the Balance Evaluation - Systems Test (BESTest). Two-way repeated-measures ANOVAs revealed significant main effects of walking conditions. However, no significant main effects of group (fallers vs. non-fallers) and no significant interaction effects between group and walking condition were observed. The BESTest revealed that functional balance in fallers was worse than in non-fallers. The cognitive task leads to more significant changes in gait kinematics than does a motor task and the step length and stride time variability were variables more sensitive to that cognitive influence. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 12/01770-1 - Influência do exercício de equilíbrio no padrão de marcha associada ou não a dupla tarefa em idosos
• Beneficiário: Daniela Cristina Carvalho de Abreu
• Linha de fomento: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular