Forms of direction change during walking and effect on movement and reaction time.
Kenji Iida, Hiroaki Tani, Kazuo Kurosawa
PMID 33362357WHAT IT FOUND
Healthy young adults shortened their step just before turning 45° or 90°, and their reaction time to an audio cue was delayed for those turns compared with straight walking.
The study did not test older adults, patients, or fall outcomes.
Key findings
01Stride length was shorter for 45° and 90° turns than straight walking, with significant shortening immediately before the turn.
02Probe reaction time was delayed for 45° and 90° turns compared with straight walking.
03The average probe reaction time before and after the turn did not show a significant main effect.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The participants were 29 healthy young adults, so the results may not apply to older adults or patients. The study did not test falls or clinical outcomes; it measured stride length and reaction time in a laboratory walk. The significant reaction-time delay was found in the immediate before and after analysis, while the average before and after comparison showed no significant main effect. Turns were made toward the kicking-leg side and without crossing the legs, which may not match all real-world turns. The sample was small and healthy, so fall risk was low and could not be assessed.
Declared interests
No funding or conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that turning at 45° or 90° increases fall risk or that turn-angle practice prevents falls. The study measured stride length and reaction time in 29 healthy young adults, not older adults or patients, and it did not test falls.