Age-Related Differences in Joint Kinematics and Spatiotemporal Parameters During Ramp Walking and Level Walking:...

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Gerontology
• Human Movement Science

Background:

• Gait function is crucial for mobility and independence in older adults.
• Age-related gait decline is well-studied in level walking, but less is known about ramp walking.
• Understanding ramp walking biomechanics is vital for assessing real-world mobility challenges in aging populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age-related differences in lower-limb joint kinematics and spatiotemporal gait parameters.
• To compare these differences between level walking and ramp walking (ascent and descent).

Main Methods:

• Markerless motion capture (Theia3D) assessed gait in 20 young and 20 older healthy adults.
• Participants performed level and 7° ramp walking (ascent/descent) in a living laboratory.
• Statistical analyses included t tests, linear mixed models, and Cohen d for effect sizes, controlling for walking velocity.

Main Results:

• Ramp walking showed significant multijoint kinematic alterations in older adults, unlike level walking which had limited differences.
• During ramp ascent, older adults exhibited increased knee flexion and reduced ankle plantarflexion.
• During ramp descent, increased hip flexion and reduced knee extension/ankle plantarflexion were observed, with large effect sizes for ramp conditions.

Conclusions:

• Age-related differences in joint kinematics are more pronounced during ramp walking than level walking.
• Ramp walking may serve as a more sensitive measure for detecting age-related gait adaptations.
• Markerless motion capture offers practical real-world assessment, but longitudinal studies are needed to predict functional decline.