A Comparison of Walking Behavior during the Instrumented TUG and Habitual Gait

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Engineering

Background:

• The timed up and go test (TUG) is a widely used clinical assessment for functional balance.
• Instrumented TUG offers objective gait and postural measures, potentially more sensitive than traditional assessments.
• Understanding TUG's representativeness of normal walking is crucial for its clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if gait and body coordination during the TUG accurately reflect normal walking patterns.
• To compare gait metrics and head/trunk accelerations between TUG and a standard walking task.
• To assess the influence of age and visual impairment on these mobility parameters.

Main Methods:

• Forty participants (young adults, older adults, older adults with visual impairment) performed TUG and a short walking task.
• Ultra-lightweight wireless IMUs were worn on the head, chest, and ankle to collect kinematic data.
• Gait parameters (stride duration/length, speed, frequency) and acceleration data were analyzed and compared across tasks and groups.

Main Results:

• Gait and head/trunk acceleration metrics were comparable between the TUG and normal walking tasks.
• Stride length and walking speed showed correlations with participant age.
• Older adults with visual impairment exhibited significantly slower walking speeds compared to their sighted counterparts.

Conclusions:

• The TUG is a valuable and representative tool for assessing gait and stability during walking.
• The TUG can be effectively used in clinical settings without requiring extensive time or space.
• Objective TUG measures can detect age-related declines and the impact of visual impairment on mobility.