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Biomechanical analysis of older adults stepping up: a method of evaluating balance

  • David Hewson
    ,
  • Valerie Michel-Pellegrino
    ,
  • Jean-Yves Hogrel
    ,
  • Jacques Duchêne
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze differences in biomechanical parameters between elderly and control participants when stepping up, to evaluate control of balance. Eleven control and 14 elderly participants performed a step from an initial static posture onto a 7-cm-high force plate. For the spontaneous-velocity condition, elderly participants performed a slower progression velocity than control participants. Elderly participants spent proportionally more time in stance phase, with a corresponding decrease in swing phase, than the control participants, irrespective of movement velocity. In contrast, at spontaneous velocity the parameters related to ground-reaction force (GRF) showed that anteroposterior and mediolateral forces at toe-off of the support limb and the slope of vertical force during weight transfer were significantly smaller for the elderly than for control participants. These GRF parameters depended on the stepping-up velocity. The elderly develop a spatiotemporal strategy and reduced movement velocity to control support balance.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 171-187

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Journal of Aging and Physical Activity (Volume 16, Issue 2)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 30/04/2008

Publication status

Published - 30/04/2008

ISSN

1063-8652

Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/623480
  • Scopus: 44649121506

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