title: The influence of age, muscle strength and speed of information processing on recovery responses to external perturbations in gait.
abstract: Dynamic imbalance caused by external perturbations to gait can successfully be counteracted by adequate recovery responses. The current study investigated how the recovery response is moderated by age, walking speed, muscle strength and speed of information processing. The gait pattern of 50 young and 45 elderly subjects was repeatedly perturbed at 20% and 80% of the first half of the swing phase using the Timed Rapid impact Perturbation (TRiP) set-up. Recovery responses were identified using 2D cameras. Muscular factors (dynamometer) and speed of information processing parameters (computer-based reaction time task) were determined. The stronger, faster reacting and faster walking young subjects recovered more often by an elevating strategy than elderly subjects. Twenty three per cent of the differences in recovery responses were explained by a combination of walking speed (B=-13.85), reaction time (B=-0.82), maximum extension strength (B=0.01) and rate of extension moment development (B=0.19). The recovery response that subjects employed when gait was perturbed by the TRiP set-up was modified by several factors; the individual contribution of walking speed, muscle strength and speed of information processing was small. Insight into remaining modifying factors is needed to assist and optimise fall prevention programmes.
authors.affiliation: Atrium Medical Centre, Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Henri Dunantstraat 5, P.O. Box 4446, 6401 CX Heerlen, The Netherlands; Maastricht University, Department of Human Movement Science, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: rachel.senden@atriummc.nl.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Senden
authors.forename: H H C M
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Savelberg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grimm
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Heyligers
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meijer
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Age; Cognitive ability; Muscle strength; Trip recovery