Abstract
Walking biomechanics is known to be influenced by speed. However, most of the research examining the effects of walking speed and gait characteristics has been conducted after a fast-walking task, neglecting the changes that may occur during the task. The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of fast-walking over time on kinematics in young and old adults. Twenty-seven young adults (26.6 ± 6.0 years) and 23 old adults (71.0 ± 5.6 years) walked at 70% of their maximum heart rate for 20 min or until exhaustion, and the effects of fast-walking on temporospatial parameters and on angular kinematics were analyzed during the activity. During the protocol, both age-groups increased step-width variability. Significant effects of time were found for the ankle and hip at toe off for the older group. For the younger group, only the ankle angle at heel strike changed over time. For both groups, fast-walking induced changes in the coordination among the lower-limb angles that were more prominent during the swing phase of the gait. In conclusion, lower-limb kinematics changes in young adults were compatible with early signs of fatigue. The increased step-width variability in older adults may indicate an augmented risk of falling. Changes in the lower-limb walking kinematics of old adults suggest that the adjustments for weight acceptance and body propulsion were restricted to the hip and ankle joints. The kinematic changes among the lower-limb joint angles during the swing phase may compromise the quality of gait. These findings provide a foundation for future studies in the assessment of the risk of falls in older adults associated with walking at a faster pace.
Highlights
IntroductionFalls often occur during walking [2] and can be a result of aging-related changes on gait [3]
Stride length and stride time variability were greater in old adults when compared to young participants
With respect to changes in temporospatial variability, the most relevant finding here was the effect of fast-walking on step-width variability in both age-groups
Summary
Falls often occur during walking [2] and can be a result of aging-related changes on gait [3]. Gait changes observed in older adults are primarily due to reduced muscle strength and lower-limb joint range of motion as a result of physiological and neuromuscular changes [4,5,6]. Aging-related changes in gait may be Kinematics Changing during Fast-Walking of particular concern when walking faster than usual. Increased walking speed may magnify the effects and limitations that may occur over time, and such assessments may highlight other factors that may be associated with falls. Irrespective of the factors underlying the age-related alterations on gait, several authors have associated fast-walking with an increased risk of falling [4, 7,8,9]
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