Accuracy-speed-stability trade-offs in a targeted stepping task are similar in young and older adults.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Stepping accuracy, speed, and stability are lower in older compared to young adults. Lower stepping performance in older adults may be due to larger accuracy-speed-stability trade-offs because of reduced ability to simultaneously fulfill these task-level goals. Our goal was to evaluate whether trade-offs are larger in older compared to young adults in a targeted stepping task. Since sensorimotor function declines with age, our secondary goal was to evaluate whether poorer sensorimotor function was associated with larger trade-offs.

Methods

Twenty-five young (median 22 years old) and 25 older (median 70 years old) adults stepped into projected targets in conditions with various levels of accuracy, speed, and stability requirements. We determined trade-offs as the

SUBMITTER: Muijres W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10043485 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature