AbstractBackgroundGait stability has been shown to be affected by age-related mobility problems, but exercise habits may reduce decline in gait stability. Our aim was to evaluate the variability and stability of feet and trunk between older healthy females and young females using inertial sensors.Method20 older females (OF; mean age 68.4, SD 4.1 years) and 18 young females (YF; mean age 22.3, SD 1.7 years) were asked to walk at their preferred speed, while kinematics were measured using inertial sensors on heels and lower back. Spatiotemporal parameters, acceleration characteristics and their variability, as well as trunk stability as assessed using the local divergence exponent (LDE), were calculated and compared between age groups with two-way ANOVA analyses.ResultsTrunk-foot vertical acceleration attenuation, foot vertical acceleration maximum and amplitude, as well as their variability were significantly smaller in OF than in YF. In contrast, for trunk mediolateral acceleration amplitude, vertical acceleration maximum and amplitude, as well as their variability were significantly larger in OF than in YF. Moreover, OF showed lower stability (i.e. higher LDE values) in ML acceleration, ML and VT angular velocity on the trunk.ConclusionThese findings suggest that healthy older females had a lower maximum toe clearance so that were more likely to trip. Moreover, the acceleration of trunk was sensitive to the difference between healthy older and young females, both in variability and stability. Combined, although older adults had exercise habits, our metrics indicate that they were less stable, which may increase the risk of tripping and balance loss.
Estimating Dynamic Gait Stability Using Data from Non-aligned Inertial Sensors
