Obstacle crossing characteristics in the healthy young female and elderly female subjects

Abstract

Objective: To investigate obstacle crossing characteristics in the young and the elderly subjects. Methods: Twenty young and 20 elderly subjects were investigated for their obstacle crossing characteristics by using a 3D motion analysis system. Markers were placed on the bony prominences of the feet and obstacles. Obstacle crossing characteristics were determined with the obstacle crossing time, the vertical distance between toe and obstacle, and the maximum vertical toe clearance. The main effects and interaction effect of age (young and elderly) and limb [leading limb (LL) and trailing limb (TL)] were examined by two way analysis of variance. The obstacle crossing characteristics were also compared in each condition by using Independent sample t-test and Paired t-test. Results: There were main effects of the age and the limb on the obstacle crossing time. No interaction effect of the age and limb was found in any variables. In each condition of age and limb, there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the obstacle crossing time between the limbs in both the young and the elderly. Furthermore, the vertical distance between toe and obstacle between the LL and TL was found to be significantly different (p&lt;0.05) in the young, but not in the elderly (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Age and limb were found to be the factors which related to the obstacle crossing time characteristic. The present findings suggested that the TL’s clearance is critical and should pay more consideration for the elderly.