The effect of navigating obstacles when walking with deficient (inappropriate, deprived, limited) foot sensory input on spatiotemporal gait parameters of elderly individuals with different visual acuities

Objectives: The present study investigated the effect of crossing obstacles when walking with distorted foot sensory input on spatiotemporal gait parameters of elderly participants with different visual acuities. Methods: Twenty elderly Korean females from community housing were enrolled in the present study. Ten participants had a binocular visual acuity (BVA) less than 5/10 and the other 10 participants had a BVA greater than 7/10. Participants walked on a GAITRite apparatus covered with carpet at a self-selected speed under three different walking conditions (barefoot, wearing socks and crossing obstacles while wearing socks). Results: The velocity and stride length in the group with good binocular visual acuity (GBVA) were significantly greater than those in the group with poor binocular visual acuity (PBVA) under all walking conditions. Greater cadence was observed in the GBVA group only under the barefoot condition. Additionally, both the velocity and cadence were decreased while crossing obstacles while wearing socks, as compared to under the other conditions in both groups. Only the PBVA group exhibited different stride lengths under different walking conditions. Crossing obstacles while wearing socks was associated with a decreased stride length in the PBVA group. Conclusions: We suggest that visual acuity in the elderly influences gait and those differences in visual acuity influence gait strategy. In addition, elderly subjects with PBVA had a decreased gait ability compared to subjects with GBVA, especially with distorted foot sensory input and in the presence of obstacles. Thus, elderly individuals with PBVA may require gait trainings in various environments to prevent falling. (C) 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS and European Union Geriatric Medicine Society. All rights reserved.