title: Children Age 7 Complete Complex Gait and Postural Tasks Differently Than Adults Under Dual-Task Conditions.
abstract: Healthy children (7 years old) and adults (20 years old) completed a simultaneous balancing, reaching, and cognitive task while standing and during gait. Cognitive accuracy rate for children and adults was similar for both postures; however, response latency was greater for children than adults. While standing, trunk, upper arm, and forearm segments moved as individual segments in adults; however, articulated control of the upper arm and forearm in children was not evident. Adults and children showed evidence of articulated segmental control during gait. Absolute gait velocity (m/s) was significantly slower for children; however, there was no effect of age on step length. Children 7 years old can perform a simultaneous motor and cognitive task but their performance strategies do not yet match young adults.
authors: a Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences , University of Guelph , Ontario , Canada.
authors: Dorelle C
authors: DC
authors: Hinton
authors: a Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences , University of Guelph , Ontario , Canada.
authors: Lori Ann
authors: LA
authors: Vallis
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D011897:Random Allocation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D057190:Stroop Test; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cognitive task; gait; multitask; posture; segmental control