Article

Our understanding of age-related changes to foot function during walking has
mainly been based on plantar pressure measurements,
with little information on
differences in foot kinematics between young and older adults. The purpose of
this study was to investigate the differences in foot kinematics between young
and older adults during walking using a multi-segment foot model. Joint
kinematics of the foot and ankle for 20 young (mean age 23.2 years, standard
deviation (SD) 3.0) and 20 older adults (mean age 73.2 years, SD 5.1) were
quantified during walking with a 12 camera Vicon motion analysis system using a
five segment kinematic model. Differences in kinematics were compared between
older adults and young adults (preferred and slow walking speeds) using Student's
t-tests or if indicated, Mann-Whitney U tests. Effect sizes (Cohen's d) for the
differences were also computed. The older adults had a less plantarflexed
calcaneus at toe-off (-9.6 degrees vs. -16.1 degrees , d = 1.0, p = <0.001), a
smaller sagittal plane range of motion (ROM) of the midfoot (11.9 degrees vs.
14.8 degrees , d = 1.3, p = <0.001) and smaller coronal plane ROM of the
metatarsus (3.2 degrees vs. 4.3 degrees , d = 1.1, p = 0.006) compared to the
young adults. Walking speed did not influence these differences, as they remained
present when groups walked at comparable speeds. The findings of this study
indicate that independent of walking speed, older adults exhibit significant
differences in foot kinematics compared to younger adults, characterised by less
propulsion and reduced mobility of multiple foot segments.
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Langue : ANGLAIS