Effects of narrow base gait on mediolateral balance control in young and older adults

Arvin, Mina; Mazaheri, Masood; Hoozemans, M.J.M.; Pijnappels, Mirjam; Burger, Bart J.; Verschueren, Sabine; Dieën, Jaap H. van

doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2016.03.011

Cited by 79 publications

(100 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Additionally, the older adults exhibited higher trunk acceleration sway in the frontal plane than did the young adults, although this result was not influenced by the different tasks. This finding agrees with prior studies that showed an increase in trunk variability with the progression of age [3,4]. In addition, studies have shown that trunk acceleration variability during walking discriminates between frail and fit older adults [5].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…When compared to young adults, older adults show an increase in frontal plane sway during walking due to difficulties in medial-lateral balance control [1], which increases the risk for falls [2]. Previous studies that analyzed gait patterns found that trunk variability increases with age [3,4] and discriminates between healthy and frail older adults [5]. Recently, we investigated how additional haptic information that an "anchor system" provides [6] affects older adults' trunk sway during tandem walking on the ground in a straight line (i.e., placing one foot in front of the other) [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Different studies employing tandem walking tasks showed that reduced width of the base of support result in increased variability of trunk displacement [1,19]. When young and older adults walked on a treadmill with their step width reduced by 50% from its normal width, their instability increased, as did their variability of body oscillation [3]. Tandem walking and walking on a balance beam are similar only in the requirement for specific placement of the foot along a straight line.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Task difficulty has no effect on haptic anchoring during tandem walking in young and older adults

Costa

Santos

Mauerberg-deCastro

et al. 2018

Neuroscience Letters

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This study assessed the contribution of the "anchor system's" haptic information to balance control during walking at two levels of difficulty. Seventeen young adults and seventeen older adults performed 20 randomized trials of tandem walking in a straight line, on level ground and on a slightly-raised balance beam, both with and without the use of the anchors. The anchor consists of two flexible cables, whose ends participants hold in each hand, to which weights (125 g) are attached at the opposing ends, and which rest on the ground. As the participants walk, they pull on the cables, dragging the anchors. Spatiotemporal gait variables (step speed and single- and double-support duration) were processed using retro-reflective markers on anatomical sites. An accelerometer positioned in the cervical region registered trunk acceleration. Walking on the balance beam increased single- and double-support duration and reduced step speed in older adults, which suggests that this condition was more difficult than walking on the level ground. The anchors reduced trunk acceleration in the frontal plane, but the level of difficulty of the walking task showed no effect. Thus, varying the difficulty of the task had no influence on the way in which participants used the anchor system while tandem walking. The older adults exhibited more difficulty in walking on the balance beam as compared to the younger adults; however, the effect of the anchor system was similar in both groups.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Task difficulty has no effect on haptic anchoring during tandem walking in young and older adults

Costa

Santos

Mauerberg-deCastro

et al. 2018

Neuroscience Letters

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“…These manipulations were expected to affect step accuracy during gait. Narrowing the path width reduces the base of support and a more strict control of the centre of mass movement is needed to successfully complete the task [2,20]. Older adults have also been shown to decrease gait speed when walking on a narrow path [20,6], suggesting that more time is needed in narrow base walking for more strict control of foot placement.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The degree of misjudgment between perceived and actual gait ability in older adults

2017

Self Cite

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Successful execution of motor tasks requires an integration of the perception of one's physical abilities and the perception of the task itself. Physical and cognitive decline associated with ageing may lead to misjudgments of these perceived and actual abilities and possibly to errors that may lead to balance loss. We aimed to directly quantify the degree to which older adults misjudge their actual gait ability. Twenty-seven older adults participated and were instructed to walk on a narrow path projected on a treadmill. We tested two paradigms to estimate the participants' perceived gait ability: a path width manipulation, in which participants had to indicate the smallest path width that they could walk on without stepping outside or losing balance (at given speed), and a treadmill speed manipulation, in which they had to indicate the maximum speed that they could use at a given path width. We determined their actual ability as the probability of stepping inside the path over a range of path widths and speeds. The path width paradigm seemed suitable for evaluating self-perception of actual gait ability and revealed that participants appeared to show a range of misjudgment towards either over- or underestimating their actual abilities. Better abilities appeared not associated with better judgment. Direct quantification of the degree of misjudgment provides insight in the interplay between cognition and physical abilities and can be of added value towards prevention of falls and promotion of healthy ageing.

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“…While the validity of the beam walking test cannot be established due to the lack of a gold standard, correlations between beam-walking performance and the miniBESTest, the SPPB, and the TUG can help determine if beam walking measures unique features of dynamic balance. Beam walking is a challenging task because it requires active and conscious control of mediolateral stability [41]. An increase in trunk stabilization in space contributes substantially to reducing the difficulty of beam walking as shown by use of the anchors [20].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beam Walking to Assess Dynamic Balance in Health and Disease: A Protocol for the “BEAM” Multicenter Observational Study

et al. 2018

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Background: Dynamic balance keeps the vertical projection of the center of mass within the base of support while walking. Dynamic balance tests are used to predict the risks of falls and eventual falls. The psychometric properties of most dynamic balance tests are unsatisfactory and do not comprise an actual loss of balance while walking. Objectives: Using beam walking distance as a measure of dynamic balance, the BEAM consortium will determine the psychometric properties, lifespan and patient reference values, the relationship with selected “dynamic balance tests,” and the accuracy of beam walking distance to predict falls. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study will examine healthy adults in 7 decades (n = 432) at 4 centers. Center 5 will examine patients (n = 100) diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and balance disorders. In test 1, all participants will be measured for demographics, medical history, muscle strength, gait, static balance, dynamic balance using beam walking under single (beam walking only) and dual task conditions (beam walking while concurrently performing an arithmetic task), and several cognitive functions. Patients and healthy participants age 50 years or older will be additionally measured for fear of falling, history of falls, miniBESTest, functional reach on a force platform, timed up and go, and reactive balance. All participants age 50 years or older will be recalled to report fear of falling and fall history 6 and 12 months after test 1. In test 2, seven to ten days after test 1, healthy young adults and age 50 years or older (n = 40) will be retested for reliability of beam walking performance. Conclusion: We expect to find that beam walking performance vis-à-vis the traditionally used balance outcomes predicts more accurately fall risks and falls. Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT03532984.

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Effects of narrow base gait on mediolateral balance control in young and older adults

Cited by 79 publications

References 26 publications

Task difficulty has no effect on haptic anchoring during tandem walking in young and older adults

Task difficulty has no effect on haptic anchoring during tandem walking in young and older adults

The degree of misjudgment between perceived and actual gait ability in older adults

Beam Walking to Assess Dynamic Balance in Health and Disease: A Protocol for the “BEAM” Multicenter Observational Study

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