The effect of navigating obstacles when walking with deficient (inappropriate, deprived, limited) foot sensory input on spatiotemporal gait parameters of elderly individuals with different visual acuities - 30/01/15

Doi : 10.1016/j.eurger.2014.09.001

S.-S. Shin ^a, D.-H. An ^b, W.-G. Yoo ^b,^⁎
^a Department of Rehabilitation Science, The Graduate School, Inje University, Republic of Korea
^b Department of Physical Therapy, College of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Inje University, 607 Obang-dong, Gimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, 621-749 Republic of Korea

^⁎Corresponding author. Department of Physical Therapy, College of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Inje University, 607 Obang-dong, Gimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, 621-749 Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 55 320 3994; fax: +82 55 329 1678.

Abstract

Objectives

The present study investigated the effect of crossing obstacles when walking with distorted foot sensory input on spatiotemporal gait parameters of elderly participants with different visual acuities.

Methods

Twenty elderly Korean females from community housing were enrolled in the present study. Ten participants had a binocular visual acuity (BVA) less than 5/10 and the other 10 participants had a BVA greater than 7/10. Participants walked on a GAITRite apparatus covered with carpet at a self-selected speed under three different walking conditions (barefoot, wearing socks and crossing obstacles while wearing socks).

Results

The velocity and stride length in the group with good binocular visual acuity (GBVA) were significantly greater than those in the group with poor binocular visual acuity (PBVA) under all walking conditions. Greater cadence was observed in the GBVA group only under the barefoot condition. Additionally, both the velocity and cadence were decreased while crossing obstacles while wearing socks, as compared to under the other conditions in both groups. Only the PBVA group exhibited different stride lengths under different walking conditions. Crossing obstacles while wearing socks was associated with a decreased stride length in the PBVA group.

Conclusions

We suggest that visual acuity in the elderly influences gait and those differences in visual acuity influence gait strategy. In addition, elderly subjects with PBVA had a decreased gait ability compared to subjects with GBVA, especially with distorted foot sensory input and in the presence of obstacles. Thus, elderly individuals with PBVA may require gait trainings in various environments to prevent falling.

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Keywords : Elderly, Crossing obstacle, Gait, Visual acuity, Sensory input