Name: LUANA DOMINGOS DE OLIVEIRA
Publication date: 02/09/2025
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| BRUNO LUIZ DE SOUZA BEDO | Examinador Externo |
| ESTELE CAROLINE WELTER MEEREIS LEMOS | Examinador Externo |
| NATALIA MADALENA RINALDI | Presidente |
Summary: Road running is one of the most practiced sports in Brazil, and in recent years it has shown an increase in the number of participants over the age of 60. The existing literature relating aging to running demonstrates that differences in movement patterns between younger and older adults are mainly associated with spatiotemporal gait parameters. Biomechanical and cognitive changes resulting from aging affect the motor pattern in older adults, which may influence sports performance. Dual-tasking is present in daily activities, whether in simple or complex tasks, and is also common during running. Performance in carrying out dual tasks is related to the individual’s cognitive and motor capacities, which are reflected in their functional performance and are impacted by aging. However, there are still gaps in the literature regarding the influence of motor and cognitive dual-tasking during running in older adults. Understanding the differences in running patterns among older adults, as well as the motor adjustments present when performing dual tasks during running, may be useful to verify whether age-related motor changes interfere with injury risk in this sport. Investigating different age groups, including middle-aged adults, can help identify whether running pattern alterations associated with dual-tasking and aging already begin in this age range. The aim of this study was to investigate the kinematic parameters of the running pattern under dual-task conditions (motor and cognitive) in older adults. The study included 15 young adult runners aged 21 to 35 years, 15 middle-aged runners aged 38 to 50 years, and 15 older adult runners aged 60 years and older, all capable of performing the experimental task. Participants were instructed to run on an athletics track at a speed determined by an aerobic fitness test, under three experimental conditions: (1) Control, in which only running was performed; (2) Motor dual-task, in which the secondary task of grabbing a cup of water was added; and (3) Cognitive dual-task, in which the secondary task of solving a subtraction arithmetic problem was added. For the kinematic analysis of the experimental conditions, two digital cameras (GoPro, Hero 7 Black model) recording at 120Hz were used. The dependent variables analyzed were stride length, stride width, stride duration, and stride velocity, as well as knee and ankle angular variables. Older adult runners showed differences compared to young and middle-aged runners, with shorter stride length and stride duration, and reduced knee and ankle range of motion. No differences were found between middle-aged and young adults, which may suggest that running practice mitigates the effects of aging on running parameters. Both motor and cognitive dual-tasking interfered with most of the variables analyzed, such as decreased stride length, increased stride width, and reduced knee and ankle range of motion, with a trend toward greater interference from motor dual-tasking. An interaction between motor dual-tasking and stride was also identified, with changes observed in the stride preceding and during the motor dual-task stride, such as reduced velocity and knee and ankle range of motion. Based on these results, it can be concluded that older runners differ from young and middle-aged adult runners, what was evidenced by the changes in spatiotemporal and angular variables during dual-task running in older adults. Furthermore, it is also concluded that dual-tasking interferes with running patterns, as demonstrated by the changes above, showing that the division of attention whether in motor or cognitive dual tasks is responsible for altering motor responses during locomotion according to task demands. Finally, it can be concluded that the demonstrated changes related to the stride prior to and during the execution of the motor dual task reveal a pattern of anticipatory locomotor adjustment in the approach phase of the dual task, characterizing a motor adaptation to accommodate the task and perform it successfully. Thus, older adults may be more exposed to the risk of injury or falls as a result of aging, and their motor response and adaptation capacity to dual-task running may be compromised due to degenerations in the sensory, neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, and joint systems. Thus, the findings of this study may help fill the gap in the literature regarding the analysis of spatiotemporal and angular parameters of running under dual-task conditions in older adults. Furthermore, these results may be useful for the planning and prescription of training programs for older runners, aiming at fall and injury prevention, performance improvement, and longevity in the practice of running.
Key words: running; dual task; older adults; kinematic parameters; motor pattern.
