Females Present Reduced Minimum Toe Clearance During Walking As Compared to Males in Active Older Adults

Author:

Faria Aurélio1,Sousa Tiago1,Vaz João R23,Gabriel Ronaldo4,Gama Jorge5,Stergiou Nikolaos67

Affiliation:

1. Department of Sport Science, Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), University of Beira Interior , Covilhã , Portugal

2. Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Egas Moniz – Cooperativa de Ensino Superior , Monte da Caparica , Portugal

3. Center for Research in Human Movement Variability, University of Nebraska at Omaha Division of Biomechanics and Research Development, Department of Biomechanics, , Omaha, Nebraska , USA

4. Department of Sport Sciences, Exercise, and Health, Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro , Vila Real , Portugal

5. Centre of Mathematics and Applications, University of Beira Interior , Covilhã , Portugal

6. Division of Biomechanics and Research Development, Department of Biomechanics, Center for Research in Human Movement Variability, University of Nebraska at Omaha , Omaha, Nebraska , USA

7. Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Biomechanics Laboratory, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki , Greece

Abstract

Abstract Background Physical decline due to aging has been associated with the risk of falls. Minimum toe clearance (MTC) is a gait parameter that might play a role in the mechanism of tripping and falling. However, it is unclear if there are any sex-related effects regarding MTC as people age. The present study investigated if there are sex-related differences in MTC in older active adults. Methods Twenty-three females and 23 males (F: 65.5 ± 4.8 years; M: 61.9 ± 5.2 years) walked on a treadmill at a preferred walking speed, while kinematic data were obtained at a sampling frequency of 100 Hz and up-sampled to 120 and 240 Hz. MTC was calculated from the kinematics data and evaluated concerning its magnitude (ie, MTC and MTC/leg length), the time between left/right MTC (ie, T-MTC), amount of variability (ie, coefficient of variation [CV] and coefficient of variation modified [CVm]), and temporal structure of variability, that is, the complexity of the time series (ie, MTC α, T-MTC α). Results No sex effects were found for MTC/leg length, for the amount of variability (ie, CV and CVm), and for the complexity of the time series (MTC α, T-MTC α). However, females exhibited significantly lower MTC and T-MTC after adjusting for walking speed, mass, and age as covariates. Conclusions The reduced MTC in females suggests a potential sex-related disparity in the risk of tripping and falling among active older adults.

Funder

National Institutes of Health

National Science Foundation

University of Nebraska Collaborative Initiative

Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

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