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.

KEYWORDS:

• Age
• balance
• gait
• motor control

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Maria Cuneo

Jennifer R. Johnson was a graduate student in the School of Occupational Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX at the time of this study. She is currently employed as an Occupational Therapist at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans, LA

Debra Stewart is Lecturer, School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University and staff therapist at Erinoak Centre, Missis-sauga, Ontario. She is currently completing a MSc (Design, Measurement and Evaluation) at McMaster University.

Ronald L. Mace (deceased, June 29, 1998) was also affiliated with The Center for Universal Design, School of Design, North Carolina University.

Lois Rosage and Geraldine Shaw are Occupational Therapist Consultants who provide evaluations for the housing programs at the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging.

Debbie Rand is Occupational Therapist, Beit Rivka Geriatric Rehabilitation Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel. She completed this study in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy, School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her mailing address is 50 Heh B'Eyar Street, Apartment 5, Rosh Ha'Ayin, Israel, 48056.

Maureen McKenna is a Licensed Physical Therapist and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California. Her Current position is: Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy, Wheeling Jesuit University, 316 Washington Avenue, Wheeling, WV 26003.

Heather Lambert was funded in part by a Health Canada NHRDP Fellowship, a REPAR Fellowship, a doctoral bursary from the Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Quebec, and a Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation-Royal Canadian Legion Fellowship in Gerontology.

Trish Wielandt was supported by a University of Queensland Postgraduate Research Scholarship (UQPRS).

Dr. Leigh Tooth was supported by a NHMRC Fellowship (#997032) while some of this research was undertaken.

J. D. “Herb” Herbert is Occupational Therapist, Rocky Mountain Menders LLC, 363 Pioneer Road, Lyons, CO 80540. At the time of this study, he was a graduate student, Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.