Correlation Between Gait, Balance, and Age When People Are Standing and Walking in Normal, Subdued, and No Light Conditions

Abstract

Balance and gait are impaired as people age but no study has examined both in the same subjects in normal lighting versus a dimly lit room. Fourteen young subjects (ages 18–30) and 15 older subjects (age range 40–68) were examined under conditions of full light, no light, and low light (5 candle power). Balance was assessed during standing by a computerized posturography device. Gait was analyzed during the initiation of movement, while walking at uniform speed and during turns of 0.66 meters diameter through accelerometers, foot contact sensors and the electromyogram recorded from the gastrocnemius and tibialus anterior muscles. Older subjects had poorer balance during standing in diminished light and no light conditions compared to the response of the younger subjects. When the room light was dimmed, sway during standing increased by an average of 13% in the older subjects. Younger subjects did not have different sway with diminished light compared to the other lighting conditions. Gait was slower, circumduction greater and muscle use greater in older than the younger subjects. There was a significant negative correlation between balance and gait; the worse the balance, the slower and poorer the gait for both groups of subjects (p < 0.05), bad balance accounting for 70% of the deviation in gait in older subjects, whereas it only accounted for 20% in the younger subjects. Balance and gait were related in young and older people. Age causes both balance and gait to be impaired.