Mobility in Older Adults

Question 1

When do many of the falls in older adults occur?

Answer 1

During walking

Question 2

Falls are the __ leading cause of death in people over 75 years old.

Answer 2

7th

Question 3

What are 5 contributors to the changes in gait parameters in older adults?

Answer 3

• Balance/postural control
• Reduced sensory information
• Cognitive factors
• Changes in proactive and reactive locomotor abilities
• Pathology (neurologic, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal disorder)

Question 4

Older adults tend to have ______ and _____ stride length compared to young adults

Answer 4

shorter and wider

Question 5

Older adults tend to have shorter ______ head movements and larger _____ head movements during gait

Answer 5

vertical

lateral

Question 6

Older adults also toe__

Answer 6

out

Question 7

In older adults stance phase is _____ and swing phase is _____.

Answer 7

longer

shorter

Question 8

In what position do older adults tend to hold their shoulders in during gait?

Answer 8

in more of an extension pattern

Question 9

What 2 things can cause changes in gait?

Answer 9

• neurologic impairments

- aging

Question 10

What is the reported minimal walking speed required for an older adult to safely cross a city street?

Answer 10

1.4 m/s

Question 11

What are 6 kinematic changes that occur as one ages?

Answer 11

• Decreased arm swing
• Decreased hip, knee, and ankle flexion
• Flatter foot on heel strike
• Decreased ability to co-vary hip/knee movement
• Decreased dynamic stability during stance
• Decreased vertical movement of the CoG / CoG

Question 12

How is the metabolic cost of walking reduced?

Answer 12

Mechanical energy is transferred, which requires sinusoidal fluctuation of CoM

Question 13

What are 2 kinetic changes that occur in older adults?

Answer 13

• Decreased power generation at push-off

- Decreased power absorption at heel strike

Question 14

What happens to muscle activation as one ages?

Answer 14

It increases at specific points in the gait cycle in an attempt to improve stability

Question 15

Why do older people experience more stiffness during gait as they age?

Answer 15

They have a tendency to coactivate the agonist and antagonist muscles to improve stability

Question 16

What happens to proactive locomotory abilities as one ages?

Answer 16

It takes one a longer time to adapt to obstacles in the environment, which means older adults may need to begin making modifications to gait patterns in the step prior to a step requiring obstacle avoidance.

Question 17

__-__% of falls in older adults are due to tripping over an object

Answer 17

35-47

Question 18

What muscles are critical to balance recovery?

Answer 18

Hip flexors of the swing leg and plantarflexors of the stance leg

Question 19

What is the difference in muscle activation between younger and older adults falling a trip?

Answer 19

The magnitude and rate of development of muscle activity is significantly lower in older adults

Question 20

__-__% of falls in older adults are due to slips

Answer 20

27-32

Question 21

What movements occur in an older adult in response to a forward slip in comparison to younger adults?

Answer 21

Older adults show greater trunk hyperextension and higher arm elevation in response to a slip than young adults

Question 22

True or False

Even though a subject may be considered pathology-free there may be subtle pathologies that may cause changes in gait

Answer 22

True

Question 23

What is another important requirement for gait function?

Answer 23

attention

Question 24

In a study younger and older adults were asked to walk on a treadmill and step over obstacles as they approached. They were also asked to verbally respond once a light was turned one. What did this study find?

Answer 24

The older adults came into contact with the obstacles more often than the younger adults, which indicates a decreased ability to perform a secondary task while walking.