Kinematics analysis of older adults when obstacle crossing
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/Keywords:
Aged, Gait, Biomechanical Phenomena, Obstacle Negotiation.Abstract
Tripping over obstacles while walking has
been reported as one of the main causes of falls in the
elderly population. In this age group, it is important
to consider that the trunk plays a significant role in
maintaining dynamic balance. This observational casecontrol
study aimed to analyze the kinematics of the
trunk and pelvis of elderly people during the task of
overcoming obstacles. The sample consisted of thirteen
elderly women with an average age of 67,00 ± 5,07 anos
who attended a water aerobics program and were part of
the experimental group (GE) and thirteen young, healthy
adult women with an average age of 21,00 ± 1,54 years,
who comprised the control group (GC). Both groups were
subjected to the task of overcoming obstacles of different
heights using the Vicon® three-dimensional motion
analysis system. Three-dimensional angular variables of
the trunk (thoracic and lumbar spine) and pelvis were
analyzed. The results showed that the elderly participants
exhibited greater three-dimensional amplitudes of these
body segments. Greater trunk flexion amplitude and
thoracic spine inclination were observed from the height
of 15%, in the trunk rotation amplitude at 35% and 40%,
thoracic spine rotation amplitude, and pélvis flexion at
all obstacle heights. This study concludes that elderly
individuals, in general, exhibit greater postural adaptations to overcome obstacles safely, due to increased amplitudes of
the trunk and pélvis compared to young adults.
Downloads
References
Cozzani M, Castro EM. Estratégias adaptativas durante o
andar na presença de obstáculos em idosos: impacto da
institucionalização e da condição física. Rev Paul Educ Fís.
;19(1):49-60.
Mochida LY, Cesar GM, Santiago PRP, Costa PHL. Estudo
dinamométrico da marcha de idosos ultrapassando obstáculos.
Rev Bras Educ Fís Esporte. 2009;23(01):15-23.
Kirkwood RN, Araújo PA, Dias CS. Biomecânica da marcha em
idosos caidores e não caidores: uma revisão da literatura. Rev
Bras Ciênc Mov. 2006;14(4):103-10.
Hurt CP, Rosenblatt N, Crenshaw JR, Grabiner MD. Variation
in trunk kinematics influences variation in step width during
treadmill walking by older and younger adults. Gait Posture.
;31(4):461-4. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2010.02.001.
Robertson DGE, Cardwell GE, Hamill J, Kamen G, Whittlesey
SN. Research methods in biomechanics. 2a ed. Champaign:
Human Kinetics; 2013.
Harley C, Wilkie RM, Wann JP. Stepping over obstacles:
attention demands and aging. Gait Posture. 2009;29(3):428-32.
doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2008.10.063.
Hahn ME, Chou LS. Age-related reduction in sagittal plane
center of mass motion during obstacle crossing. J Biomech.
;37(6):837-44. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2003.11.010.
Uemura K, Yamada M, Nagai K, Ichihashi N. Older adults at
high risk of falling need more time for anticipatory postural
adjustment in the precrossing phase of obstacle negotiation.
J Gerontol A: Biol Sci Med Sci. 2011;66(8):904-9. doi: 10.1093/
gerona/glr081.
Nadeau S, Amblard B, Mesure S, Bourbonnais D. Head and
trunk stabilization strategies during forward and backward
walking in healthy adults. Gait Posture. 2003;18(3):134-42.
doi: 10.1016/s0966-6362(02)00070-x.
Swinnen E, Baeyens JP, Pintens S, Buyl R, Goossens M, et al.
Walking more slowly than with normal velocity: The influence
on trunk and pelvis kinematics in young and older healthy
persons. Clin Biomech. 2013;28(7):800-6. doi: 10.1016/j.
clinbiomech.2013.06.013.
Orcioli-Silva D, Barbieri FA, Santos PCR, Beretta VS, Simieli L, et
al. Double obstacles increase gait asymmetry during obstacle
crossing in people with Parkinson’s disease and healthy older
adults:a pilot study. Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):2272. doi: 10.1038/
s41598-020-59266-y.
Santinelli FB, Sebastião E, Kuroda MH, Moreno VC, Pilon J,
et al. Cortical activity and gait parameter characteristics in
people with multiple sclerosis during unobstructed gait and
obstacle avoidance. Gait Posture. 2021;86:226-32. doi: 10.1016/j.
gaitpost.2021.03.026.
Muir BC, Bodratti LA, Morris CE, Haddad JM, van Emmerik
REA, et al. Gait characteristics during inadvertent obstacle
contacts in young, middle-aged and older adults. Gait Posture.
;77:100-4. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2020.01.020.
Hulley SB, Cummings SR, Brower WS. Delineando a pesquisa
clínica. 4a ed. Porto Alegre: Artmed; 2015.
Roebroeck ME, Doorenbosch CA, Harlaar J, Jacobs R,
Lankhorst GJ. Biomechanics and muscular activity during
sit-to-stand transfer. Clin Biomech. 1994;9(4):235-44. doi:
1016/0268-0033(94)90004-3.
Larivière C, Gagnon D, Gravel D, Arsenault AB, Dumas JP, et al.
A triaxial dynamometer to monitor lateral bending and axial
rotation moments during static trunk extension efforts. Clin
Biomech. 2001;16(1):80-3. doi: 10.1016/s0268-0033(00)00068-1.
Reynold, HM, Snow CC, Yooung JW. Spatial geometry of the
human pelvis [Internet]. Washington (DC): Office of Aviation
Medicine Published Date; 1982 [cited 2025 Jan 6]. Available
from: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/21210.
Dancey CP, Reidy J. Statistics without maths for psychology.
New York: Pearson education; 2007.
Hahn ME, Chou LS. Age-related reduction in sagittal plane
center of mass motion during obstacle crossing. J Biomech.
;37(6):837-44. doi: 10/1016/j.jbiomech.2003.11.010.
Kovacs CR. Age-related changes in gait and obstacle
avoidance capabilities in older adults: a review. J Appl Gerontol.
;24(1):21-34. doi: 10.1177/0733464804271279.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Rafael Fávero Bardy, Bruna Felix Apoloni, Pedro Paulo Deprá
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
