Influences of Aging and Footedness on Stepping Over Obstacles

Stepping over obstacles is an essential ability to walk safely in daily living. There are internal and external factors interacting to keep us stay in balance during negotiating obstacles. As we get older, the walking patterns and avoidance strategies may change due to the age-related degradation of our body. Since many studies show that tripping over obstacles is one of the most frequent causes of falls in the elderly [1], it is important for us to understand the control strategies of older adults during obstacle avoidance. The observation could let to an increased awareness of obstacle avoidance tasks and help diminishing falls risks in older adults [2].Copyright © 2009 by ASME