Relationship between adaptability during turning and the complexity of walking before turning in older adults

In this study, the relationship between behavioral complexity (sample entropy, SEn) during steady walking and the quickness of subsequent turning performance in older adults. Herein, healthy older and younger adults (n = 12 each) were instructed to walk straight and then turn into an intersection surrounded by four pylons. This walking task was performed under two turning conditions: reactive and pre-planned turning, where the direction of turning was unknown until immediately before turning or was informed beforehand, respectively. For older adults, behavioral complexity was comparable under both conditions, but was higher under reactive than pre-planned turning condition for younger adults. This suggests that older adults cannot adapt their walking patterns in response to turning conditions. Correlation analysis showed that older adults with lower SEn had more difficulty in turning rapidly under reactive turning condition, indicating a relationship between the two variables. Thus, deterioration of the reactive turning performance in older adults is related to stereotyped movements during steady walking.