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Locomotion and Posture in Older Adults pp 73–90Cite as

The Walking Ability in Healthy Older Adults: The Role of Aging and Physical Activity and Its Interface with Agility, Balance, Cognition, and Risk of Falls

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Abstract

Walking is the most basic and common means of locomotion. Walking requires integration and good levels of different physical and mental components and processes. A number of factors, including an inverse relationship with aging and the level of physical activity, can modulate the level of functionality of these components. In addition, the presence of chronic conditions such as sarcopenia, cognitive deficits, and specific changes mainly in frontal brain structures associated with the aging process may affect an individual’s walking pattern. Moreover, walking performance demands integration with the environment and requires reasonable levels of balance, agility, and cognitive skills. Furthermore, walking demands performance in a multiple-task manner which is affected during the aging process due to impaired sensorimotor integration. Impairment in walking pattern along with reduced levels of agility and balance leads to an increased risk of falls. Despite the negative effects of aging on the human organism, regular exercise has been recommended as a means of reducing the rate of decline and maintaining functionality in older adults. Acknowledging the role that aging, physical activity, agility, balance, and cognitive functioning play in walking and also in the risk of falls, this chapter (i) describes how aging and physical activity interfere with walking pattern (stride length, speed, variability), agility, balance, and cognitive functioning and (ii) describes how these components contribute to either increasing or reducing the risk of falls in older adults. To accomplish these goals, scientific literature was reviewed, analyzed, and summarized.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, Exercise Neuroscience Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA

    Emerson Sebastião

  2. Center for Studies in Physical Activity & Health, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro – UFTM, Uberaba, Brazil

    Flávia Gomes de Melo Coelho

  3. Department of Gerontology (DGero) – Laboratory of Biology of Aging (LABEN), Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil

    Carla Manuela Crispim Nascimento

  4. Department of Physical Therapy – Elderly Health Research Lab, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil

    Larissa Pires de Andrade

  5. Department of Physical Education, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Campus Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil

    Jessica Rodrigues Pereira & Sebastião Gobbi

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  1. Emerson Sebastião
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  5. Jessica Rodrigues Pereira
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  6. Sebastião Gobbi
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Correspondence to Emerson Sebastião .

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  1. Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Department of Physical Education, Human Movement Research Laboratory – MOVI-LAB, Campus Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil

    Fabio Augusto Barbieri

  2. Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Department of Physical Education, Posture and Gait Studies Lab (LEPLO), Campus Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil

    Rodrigo Vitório

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Sebastião, E., de Melo Coelho, F.G., Nascimento, C.M.C., de Andrade, L.P., Pereira, J.R., Gobbi, S. (2017). The Walking Ability in Healthy Older Adults: The Role of Aging and Physical Activity and Its Interface with Agility, Balance, Cognition, and Risk of Falls. In: Barbieri, F., Vitório, R. (eds) Locomotion and Posture in Older Adults. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48980-3_6

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