Dual tasking interferes with dynamic balance in young and old healthy adults

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Date
2021-01-11
Authors
Sulaiman, Amal Al-Shaikh
Kelly, Marie
O’Connor, Mairead
Bamiou, Doris-Eva
Pavlou, Marousa
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IOS Press
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https://doi.org/10.3233/PPR-190394
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Functional mobility requires an ability to adapt to environmental factors together with an ability to execute a secondary task simultaneously while walking. A complex dual-tasking gait test may provide an indication of functional ability and falls risk among community-dwelling older adults. PURPOSE: The aim of this cross-sectional study is to investigate age-related differences in dual-tasking ability and to evaluate whether dual-tasking ability is related to executive function. METHODS: Forty-one community-dwelling healthy older and forty-one younger adults completed a dual-tasking assessment in which concurrent tasks were incorporated into the Functional Gait Assessment (FGA). The manual dual-task involved carrying a glass of water (FGA-M) while the cognitive dual-tasks involved numeracy (FGA-N) and literacy (FGA-L) related tasks. FGA scores under single (FGA-S) and dual-task conditions together with associated dual-task costs and response accuracy were determined. Executive function was assessed using The Behavioural Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS). RESULTS: FGA-N and FGA-L scores were adversely affected in both groups compared to FGA-S (p≤0.001). However, score reductions and dual-task costs were significantly greater for older adults compared to younger adults on FGA-N (p≤0.05) and FGA-L (p≤0.001), with older adult performance on FGA-N associated with falls risk (p≤0.05). Executive function did not appear to be related to dual-tasking ability. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that cognitively demanding tasks while walking, have a deleterious effect on dynamic balance and could place older adults at a greater risk of falls.
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Keywords
Dual-task , Dynamic balance , Gait , Aging , Executive function
Citation
Sulaiman, A. A. S., Kelly, M., O’Connor, M., Bamiou, D. E. and Pavlou, M. (2020) 'Dual tasking interferes with dynamic balance in young and old healthy adults', Physiotherapy Practice and Research, 41(2), pp.155-162. https://doi.org/10.3233/PPR-190394
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https://hdl.handle.net/10468/16597
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Physiotherapy - Journal Articles
Medicine - Journal Articles
Copyright
© 2021, IOS Press. The definitive, peer reviewed and edited version of this article is published in Physiotherapy Practice and Research, 41(2). https://doi.org/10.3233/PPR-190394