[Gait changes and fall risk]

Abstract

Walking is a complex motor task generally performed automatically by older adults. Falls with or without serious consequences such as fractures or fear of falling can be the result. Gait analysis shows that even minor stride-to-stride variations increase the risk for falls. These gait changes are often too small to be detected during normal walking alone, but rather appear in combination with an additional task, the so-called dual tasking. Irregular gait is not an inevitability of older age, but can be improved by targeted interventions.