The effects of improved strength on obstacle negotiation in community-living older adults
Lamoureux, Ecosse, Sparrow, William, Murphy, A. and Newton, R. 2003, The effects of improved strength on obstacle negotiation in community-living older adults, Gait & Posture, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 273-283.
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The effects of improved strength on obstacle negotiation in community-living older adults
Poor mobility has been associated with age-related deterioration in muscle strength. While previous work has examined the effects of improved strength on level walking, we have quantified the effects of a resistance-training program on obstructed gait tasks using biomechanical-dependent measures. Forty-five community-dwelling participants aged 62 years or older were randomised to either a control (n=16) or experimental group (n=29). The experimental subjects exercised for 24 weeks on a progressive resistance-training program designed to improve lower body strength. Dynamic strength was assessed at weeks 0 and 24 as well as specific laboratory gait kinetics and kinematics during stepping over an obstacle and negotiation of a raised surface set at 10, 20 and 30% of each subject's leg length.