Within-session dual-task walking practice improves gait variability in older adults with multiple sclerosis

IF 2.2 3区医学 Q3 NEUROSCIENCES

Gait & posture Pub Date : 2025-03-19 DOI:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.03.011

Manuel E. Hernandez , Robert W. Motl , Frederick W. Foley , Meltem Izzetoglu , Mark Wagshul , Roee Holtzer

{"title":"Within-session dual-task walking practice improves gait variability in older adults with multiple sclerosis","authors":"Manuel E. Hernandez , Robert W. Motl , Frederick W. Foley , Meltem Izzetoglu , Mark Wagshul , Roee Holtzer","doi":"10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.03.011","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Greater gait variability is associated with falls in aging and multiple sclerosis. However, whether older adults with MS (OAMS), show higher gait variability relative to healthy older adults (HOA), under single and dual-task walking conditions, has not been reported. Furthermore, it is unclear whether practice may improve gait variability in both groups.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>Is gait variability higher in OAMS relative to HOA, particularly in DTW compared to STW? Furthermore, does practice result in decreased gait variability in both groups, notably under DTW compared to STW?</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We examined the effect of within-session practice on gait variability during single (STW) and dual (DTW) task gait conditions. OAMS (n = 97, mean±SD age: 65 ± 5 years, 66 females) and HOA (n = 113, mean±SD age: 68 ± 7 years, 73 females) were recruited. Practice effects on gait variability were evaluated over three repeated counterbalanced STW and DTW trials. Gait variability measures included Coefficient of Variation (CV) in stride velocity, stride length, and swing time.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>OAMS demonstrated higher gait variability, on all measures, relative to HOA during both STW and DTW (P < 0.001). Gait variability on all measures was higher in DTW compared to STW, (P < 0.05). Practice resulted in decreased gait variability (P < 0.01) on all measures in both OAMS and HOA. Furthermore, practice resulted in decreased temporal gait variability, as measured by swing time CV, under DTW in particular (P < 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>In conclusion, OAMS exhibited greater gait variability than HOA, yet both groups demonstrated decreases in temporal and spatial gait variability after within-session practice, notably under DTW, which in turn may reduce fall risk.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12496,"journal":{"name":"Gait & posture","volume":"119 ","pages":"Pages 171-177"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Gait & posture","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966636225001432","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"NEUROSCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Greater gait variability is associated with falls in aging and multiple sclerosis. However, whether older adults with MS (OAMS), show higher gait variability relative to healthy older adults (HOA), under single and dual-task walking conditions, has not been reported. Furthermore, it is unclear whether practice may improve gait variability in both groups.

Research question

Is gait variability higher in OAMS relative to HOA, particularly in DTW compared to STW? Furthermore, does practice result in decreased gait variability in both groups, notably under DTW compared to STW?

Methods

We examined the effect of within-session practice on gait variability during single (STW) and dual (DTW) task gait conditions. OAMS (n = 97, mean±SD age: 65 ± 5 years, 66 females) and HOA (n = 113, mean±SD age: 68 ± 7 years, 73 females) were recruited. Practice effects on gait variability were evaluated over three repeated counterbalanced STW and DTW trials. Gait variability measures included Coefficient of Variation (CV) in stride velocity, stride length, and swing time.

Results

OAMS demonstrated higher gait variability, on all measures, relative to HOA during both STW and DTW (P < 0.001). Gait variability on all measures was higher in DTW compared to STW, (P < 0.05). Practice resulted in decreased gait variability (P < 0.01) on all measures in both OAMS and HOA. Furthermore, practice resulted in decreased temporal gait variability, as measured by swing time CV, under DTW in particular (P < 0.05).

Significance

In conclusion, OAMS exhibited greater gait variability than HOA, yet both groups demonstrated decreases in temporal and spatial gait variability after within-session practice, notably under DTW, which in turn may reduce fall risk.

查看原文本刊更多论文

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Gait & posture 医学-神经科学

CiteScore

4.70

自引率

12.50%

发文量

616

审稿时长

6 months

期刊介绍： Gait & Posture is a vehicle for the publication of up-to-date basic and clinical research on all aspects of locomotion and balance. The topics covered include: Techniques for the measurement of gait and posture, and the standardization of results presentation; Studies of normal and pathological gait; Treatment of gait and postural abnormalities; Biomechanical and theoretical approaches to gait and posture; Mathematical models of joint and muscle mechanics; Neurological and musculoskeletal function in gait and posture; The evolution of upright posture and bipedal locomotion; Adaptations of carrying loads, walking on uneven surfaces, climbing stairs etc; spinal biomechanics only if they are directly related to gait and/or posture and are of general interest to our readers; The effect of aging and development on gait and posture; Psychological and cultural aspects of gait; Patient education.