Kallimachos, C. (Christopher) (2020) The effect of age and dual-task on dynamic balance measured by beam walking performance. thesis, Human Movement Sciences.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Purpose: To determine which outcomes of beam walking performance correlate with age and how they are affected by dual-tasking, in order to assess dynamic balance. Methods: Twelve young (20-29), and nineteen older (60-79), healthy adults walked on three slightly elevated, four-meter long beams of varying widths (12, 8 and 4 cm) and a control marking tape on the floor, with their hands fixed to their chest. The procedure was repeated with the addition of a cognitive task under the form of a numeric subtraction by seven. Distance walked, gait velocity, number of steps and average step length were recorded, and correlated with age. The outcome measures that correlated the strongest with age were further analyzed for interaction with cognitive dual-tasking. Results: Distance walked on the 8 and 4 cm beam as well as average step length on the 8 cm beam negatively correlated with age. Young participants achieved longer distances on the 8 cm beam, 8 cm with dual-task (DT), 4 cm and 4 cm DT. Dual-task decreased significantly step length in the old more than the young, but distance was not significantly affected by the addition of a cognitive task. A larger variation in results was found for the old on both single and dual-task conditions. Conclusion: The use of distance walked on the beams reveals subclinical dynamic balance deficits associated with ageing, while step length reveals a higher cognitive load in the older. Further research is necessary to clarify potential ceiling effects of the beam walking test. Keywords: dynamic balance, ageing, beam walking, dual-task, cognitive load
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Hortobágyi, prof. dr. T. |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 18 May 2022 10:23 |
| Last Modified: | 18 May 2022 10:23 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3361 |
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