Article

The control of trunk movement plays an important role in stabilizing the head
during gait. However, the effects of performing dual tasks on trunk movements
during gait are unclear. We compared the effects of an arithmetic task and the
colored Stroop test on trunk movement during gait in 34 healthy older adults. The
participants walked 20 m normally, or while performing serial seven subtractions
or the colored Stroop test. Trunk accelerations were measured using triaxial
accelerometers attached to the lower and upper trunk and used to calculate trunk
attenuation rate (TAR) as the reduction in acceleration from the lower to upper
trunk. Both dual task conditions affected the TAR in the mediolateral and
vertical directions (p<0.01), but not in the anteroposterior direction. In the
mediolateral direction, the decrease in TAR was greater during the serial seven
subtractions than during the Stroop test (p<0.01). In conclusion, dual
task-related changes of whole trunk movement during gait, particularly in the
mediolateral direction, are dependent on the type of additional task.
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Langue : ANGLAIS