Healthy older adults generate transverse-plane momenta required for 90° turns while walking during the same phases of gait as used in straight-line gait.
Mitchell Tillman, Jun Ming Liu, Zahava M Hirsch and 2 others
PMID 39180079WHAT IT FOUND
Healthy older adults use the same body mechanics to turn as they do to walk straight.
They push their body sideways during right-leg stance and twist their body during double-leg stance. These specific moments offer targets for balance training.
Key findings
01The largest change in linear momentum toward the new direction occurred during right single support phase in both straight-line walking and turns.
02The largest change in transverse-plane angular momentum toward the new direction occurred during left double support phase in both straight-line walking and turns.
03Patterns of angular momentum generation were consistent between straight-line walking and turns, with no significant differences found between the tasks for any gait phase.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only nine healthy, active older adults who had not fallen recently, so the results may not apply to older adults with balance impairments or a history of falls. The sample was very small, limiting the generalizability of the findings. Gait speed was not controlled, which may have influenced how participants generated momentum. The study describes mechanics in healthy individuals and does not test whether targeting these phases improves balance or reduces falls.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the National Science Foundation. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that targeting these specific gait phases in rehabilitation will improve balance or reduce falls. This study only describes how healthy older adults naturally move; it did not test any treatment intervention or clinical outcome.