Older women take shorter steps during backwards walking and obstacle crossing.

CONCLUSION: The findings revealed that older adult women adapt walking in a way that might predispose them to tripping or falling (i.e. shorter steps and closer obstacle approach). Gender differences in adaptive walking are related to functional test performance and processing speed. Clinicians should consider targeting step length during adaptive walking tasks in women that may be at risk of mobility impairments.
PMID: 31034865 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Experimental Gerontology - April 25, 2019 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Raffegeau TE, Kellaher GK, Terza MJ, Roper JA, Altmann LJ, Hass CJ Tags: Exp Gerontol Source Type: research