With age, the shift in the body's center of gravity increases, which is why the duration of maintaining balance on one leg is significantly reduced in older people. Remarkably, age did not affect gait parameters. The study was published in the journal PLoS One.
A gradual decline in physical activity is considered a characteristic feature of aging. In older adults, there is a gradual degeneration of skeletal muscles, which leads to a gradual loss of muscle mass and strength. This can lead to disability and multiple pathologies. Sufficient muscle strength, efficient gait, and good balance are essential factors for independence and well-being, so understanding how aging deteriorates these parameters can help to preserve them.
However, little is known about how and when the function of these parameters declines. Although previous studies have examined age-related factors influencing gait, balance, and strength, they have relied on limited data and suffered from methodological shortcomings.
A research team led by Kenton Kaufman of the Mayo Clinic conducted a cross-sectional study of how aging affects gait, balance, and strength in healthy, independent adults. The researchers also compared the rates of age-related decline in these parameters.
A total of 20 people under 65 and 20 people over 65 (10 men and 10 women in each group) were included in the study. They measured isometric strength of the upper and lower extremities, static balance (standing on two legs with open and closed eyes, standing on the dominant and non-dominant leg with open eyes) and gait characteristics using a motion capture system.
In the analysis, the researchers found a significant interaction between strength parameters, age, and gender (p < 0.001 for arms, p = 0.005 for legs). Isometric arm strength decreased by 3.7 percent per decade in both genders, while leg strength decreased by 1.4 percent per decade. In addition, analysis of balance parameters showed that older subjects had more movements while standing on both legs with both eyes open and closed compared to younger subjects. Although the primary analysis showed that maintaining balance on one leg is not a reliable predictor of aging, analysis of standard deviations showed the greatest change per decade in the duration of maintaining balance on one leg, followed by the magnitude of the shift in the center of gravity during upright walking. Notably, none of the gait parameters were associated with age. According to the authors of the study, the results of the study demonstrate the importance of measuring balance when monitoring older people, regardless of gender. They also conclude that the length of time a person can balance on one leg can be considered a reliable indicator of aging. Earlier, we reported that the gait of Mr. Teabag from the Monty Python sketch "The Ministry of Silly Walks" turned out to be 2.5 times more energy-consuming than the gait of an ordinary person.