Effects of multi-obstacle contexts on obstacle negotiation strategies in healthy older adults under dual-task conditions

Performance of obstacle crossing is an attentionally demanding task due to the need for motor planning and gait regulation, particularly among older adults. Despite extensive studies on age-associated changes in obstacle negotiation strategies, relatively little is known about adaptive mechanisms in the elderly regarding multiple obstacle crossings with different execution demands.

For better understanding of avoidance strategies employed by the elderly, the current study investigated adaptive mechanisms related to planning and implementation of more complex multi-obstacle contexts. Do older adults use a more conservative strategy such as prolonged step duration or elevated foot height when crossing obstacles with increased task demands of obstacle negotiation?

Eleven healthy older and 11 young adults participated in the experiment. We examined how the presence and physical property of the second obstacle influenced the planning and adjustments for obstacle avoidance performance. Spatiotemporal characteristics of the stepping movement were analyzed using a 3D motion capture system.

Older adults showed a longer stance time before crossing the first obstacle than young adults when the task complexity increased. These stepping characteristics were more evident in the dual-task condition. However, their foot clearance and crossing speed were not influenced by the level of task complexity.

These findings suggest that healthy elderly participants may have difficulty in developing the motor plan rather than implementing the stepping strategies under more complex obstacle constraints. A general cognitive decline with advancing age or adaptation of compensatory adjustment to enhance postural stability may underlie such altered obstacle negotiation behaviors in older adults.