Walking Exercise Science to Improve Cognitive Function in the Elderly

Encouraging older adults to engage in walking exercises in their daily lives can be an effective strategy to promote healthy aging and improve cognitive function. This study provides an overview of the extensive and consistent evidence supporting its benefits in dementia prevention, with a particular focus on walking, and discusses various walking exercise programs. The literature published to date has provided insight into the role of physical and cognitive factors in improving cognitive function through walking exercise in the elderly. However, there are differences in the literature regarding effective forms of walking exercise. It is believed that understanding whether shared differences exist between scientific walking exercise programs and specific cognitive domains can guide clinical treatment when cognitive function is defective. In particular, the elderly&quots dual-task, GOSTEP, Nordic walking, and tandem walking exercises were presented and the theories and evidence based on them were discussed. The results suggest that these approaches are designed to be reliable, effective, and feasible and may be an effective way to address risk factors for cognitive decline.