Article

PURPOSE: To compare the stride-to-stride fluctuations, regularity and symmetry of
gait using a body-fixed accelerometer in a group of healthy young and healthy
older adults. METHODS: Forty-one healthy young adults (24 +/- 3 years) and
forty-one healthy older adults (76 +/- 5 years) completed a 10-min walk at a
self-selected, normal walking speed while wearing a single waist-mounted
tri-axial accelerometer. The following gait parameters were compared between age
groups: mean step and stride time, step and stride time variability, stride time
fractal scaling index and the regularity and symmetry of the acceleration pattern
in the vertical, mediolateral and anteroposterior directions (unbiased
autocorrelation procedure). RESULTS: Older adults displayed significantly greater
step and stride time variability (p<0.05) and a lower stride time fractal scaling
index (p<0.01), as well as significantly less regularity (p<0.05) and symmetry
(p<0.05) of the anteroposterior accelerations. CONCLUSION: The results show that
healthy older adults possess greater temporal gait variability, as well as a
less-organized and repeatable pattern of variability and acceleration in the
direction of motion, than younger adults. The findings also suggest the presence
of an age-related decline in the anteroposterior control of gait, but not in the
vertical and mediolateral control of gait.
CI - Copyright (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS