Footedness Effects on Dynamic Postural Control Features during Obstacle Crossing and up-Down Stairs in Elder with Different Balance Ability

Functional ambulation require highly coordinated functional of nervous, musculoskeletal, and sensorimotor system, especially when the walking involves obstacle crossing and up-down stair. Elderly population is among one of the high risk of falls groups due to balance ability deterioration secondary to aging process. Therefore, training of balance and movement strategy is the focus of health care for aging population. Previous studies showed that older adults was different from young subject when crossing obstacle and up-down stairs in terms of decreasing speed, shorten step, decreased foot clearance distance, decreased heel distance, and decreased supporting area. However, the results from different study is not consistent and there is no study investigating the level of balance ability and the ability to crossing obstacle and up-down stairs among elderly with different balance ability. In addition to balance ability, it was suggested that the role of bilateral foot during functional activity was different. For example, the lateral preference of the side of leg to kick a ball existed. The researcher, therefore, induces that use of dominant foot as leading or trailing limb during obstacle crossing and up-down stairs may demonstrate different control characteristic and this different is important for instruction the elderly in their daily living for fall prevention. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of footedness on obstacle crossing and up-down stairs among elderly with different level of balance ability. The balance ability will be defined by multidirectional functional reach, which is more precise than the incidence of fall. The results will be valuable for fall prevention of elderly adults during their daily living situation.

Project ID:PC9709-0458
External Project ID:NSC97-2410-H182-018