Upper body accelerations during walking in healthy young and elderly men

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Gerontology
• Human Movement Science

Background:

• Gait changes are common with aging.
• Understanding age-related differences in walking biomechanics is crucial for fall prevention and mobility.
• Upper body motion during walking is a key indicator of gait stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare upper body (head and trunk) accelerations between young and elderly adults during natural speed walking.
• To identify age-specific patterns in three-dimensional (3D) head and trunk accelerations during gait.

Main Methods:

• Measured 3D head and trunk accelerations in young (23±4 years) and elderly (74±3 years) adults using tri-axial accelerometers.
• Utilized a footswitch system to determine gait events (heel contact, toe-off).
• Normalized acceleration data to walking speed for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• Elderly subjects showed significantly lower peak anterior-posterior (AP) trunk acceleration during push-off.
• Elderly subjects exhibited significantly higher peak negative AP head and trunk accelerations after heel contact.
• The time delay between trunk and head accelerations in the AP direction was significantly shorter in the elderly group.

Conclusions:

• Elderly individuals demonstrate altered upper body kinematics during walking compared to younger adults.
• These kinematic differences are likely compensatory strategies to improve dynamic stability during gait.
• Findings highlight the importance of considering upper body dynamics in the study of aging gait.