Seated stepping exercise in a dual-task condition improves ambulatory function with a secondary task: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
A close relationship exists between dual-task (DT)-related gait changes and the risk of falling in the elderly. However, the impact of DT training on the incidence of falls in the elderly remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effects of a seated stepping exercise in DT conditions to improve walking ability in community-dwelling elderly.


METHODS
This was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in community-dwelling elderly in Japan. Fifty-three participants were randomly assigned to a DT group (stepping exercise in DT conditions, n=26) and a singletask (ST) group (stepping exercise in ST conditions, n=27). All participants received 50 min group training sessions, once a week for 24 weeks. Outcome measures were based on differences in walking ability in singletask (ST), cognitive-task (CT), and manual-task (MT) conditions between DT and ST groups.


RESULTS
Participants in the DT group showed significantly greater improvement in outcome measures, including 10-m gait speed, walking cadence, and cost during cognitive and manual tasks. The number of enumerated figures during CT, as well as the numbers of steps taken and of enumerated figures during stepping with MT demonstrated significant Group × Time interactions (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This RCT suggests that the seated stepping exercise is more effective at improving ambulatory function in DT conditions than in ST conditions.
Department of Human Health Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan. yamada@hs.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Minoru
M
Yamada
Tomoki
T
Aoyama
Buichi
B
Tanaka
Koutatsu
K
Nagai
Noriaki
N
Ichihashi
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D010809:Physical Fitness; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016138:Walking