Gordt Katharina, Müller Christina, Gerhardy Thomas, Schwenk Michael
Netzwerk AlternsfoRschung, Universität Heidelberg, Bergheimer Str. 20, 69115, Heidelberg, Deutschland.
Institut für Sport und Sportwissenschaft, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Deutschland.
Z Gerontol Geriatr. 2019 Nov;52(7):673-679. doi: 10.1007/s00391-018-01482-3. Epub 2018 Nov 22.
Walking is not an automatic movement task but requires continuous attention resources. While walking and undertaking an additional task (dual tasking), gait changes occur which are associated with falls in older adults. To date, the evaluation of gait characteristics under dual task conditions is typically performed during walking straight ahead (SW); however, everyday life also requires more complex walking maneuvers such as walking in a curve (CW). Complex walking maneuvers may require higher attentional resources and thus might have a greater impact on the gait under dual task conditions.
The aim was to compare the gait characteristics under dual task conditions during SW and CW.
In 30 community-dwelling older adults (mean age: 71.6 ± 6.6 years) gait parameters including single leg support phase, velocity, cadence, step length and width were measured by electronic gait analysis (GAITRite®, CIR Systems Inc., Franklin, New Jersey, USA) during SW and CW under single and dual task conditions. For each gait parameter the relative change from single to dual task condition was calculated as dual task costs (DTC) and compared using paired t‑tests.
For the single leg support phase, velocity, cadence and step width, descriptive results showed increased DTC during CW (2.08-23.74%) as compared to SW (1.39-12.90%). For cadence (DTC: SW 6.81 ± 12.58%, CW 10.54 ± 13.46%, p = 0.026) and step width (DTC: SW -12.90 ± 18.01%, CW -23.74 ± 56.37%, p = 0.004) the differences were statistically significant.
The relative decline in gait performance under dual task conditions is greater during CW than during SW. The results suggest that CW requires greater attentional resources as compared to SW. In turn, the risk of falling might be increased during CW under dual task conditions. The present findings may contribute to the development of new, ecologically valid assessment and training strategies taking complex walking maneuvers into account.
行走并非自动运动任务，而是需要持续的注意力资源。在行走并执行额外任务（双重任务）时，步态会发生变化，这与老年人跌倒有关。迄今为止，双重任务条件下的步态特征评估通常是在向前直线行走（SW）过程中进行的；然而，日常生活中还需要更复杂的行走动作，如转弯行走（CW）。复杂的行走动作可能需要更高的注意力资源，因此在双重任务条件下可能对步态有更大影响。
比较向前直线行走（SW）和转弯行走（CW）在双重任务条件下的步态特征。
对30名社区居住的老年人（平均年龄：71.6±6.6岁），在单任务和双重任务条件下，通过电子步态分析（GAITRite®，CIR Systems Inc.，美国新泽西州富兰克林）测量向前直线行走（SW）和转弯行走（CW）过程中的步态参数，包括单腿支撑期、速度、步频、步长和步宽。对于每个步态参数，计算从单任务到双重任务条件下的相对变化作为双重任务成本（DTC），并使用配对t检验进行比较。
对于单腿支撑期、速度、步频和步宽，描述性结果显示，与向前直线行走（SW，1.39 - 12.90%）相比，转弯行走（CW）期间的双重任务成本（DTC）增加（2.08 - 23.74%）。对于步频（DTC：SW 6.81±12.58%，CW 10.54±13.46%，p = 0.026）和步宽（DTC：SW -12.90±18.01%，CW -23.74±56.37%，p = 0.004），差异具有统计学意义。
双重任务条件下，转弯行走（CW）期间步态表现的相对下降比向前直线行走（SW）期间更大。结果表明，与向前直线行走（SW）相比，转弯行走（CW）需要更多的注意力资源。相应地，在双重任务条件下转弯行走（CW）期间跌倒风险可能会增加。本研究结果可能有助于开发新的、具有生态效度的评估和训练策略，同时考虑复杂的行走动作。
