The Effects of Cognitive Training on Selective Kinematic Parameters of Gait Initiation in Older Adults With the Fear of Falling

Background and Aims Gait initiation is the transition from quiet standing posture to steady-state walking, and variations in this phase increase the risk of falling. Fear of falling in older adults is one of the most important factors that threaten their well-being which can affect gait initiation by causing changes in its kinetics and kinematics. The present study aims to investigate the effects of cognitive training on some kinematic variables of gait initiation in older adults with the fear of falling. Methods In this study, 13 older adults with the fear of falling voluntarily participated. They participated in cognitive training (Performing auditory, visual, and spatial memory tasks) for 8 weeks, two sessions per week, each for one hour, using the working memory training software of Sina Behavioral-Cognitive Sciences Institute (Iran). A motion analysis system was used to record kinematic data, and each person performed the gait initiation task before and after cognitive training. We used MATLAB for kinematic data extraction, and SPSS software, version 26 software for statistical analyses. Mean and standard deviation were used to describe the data. To compare the scores of the two phases, the paired t-test was used. Results After eight weeks of cognitive training, a significant difference was observed in the variables of gait initiation speed (t=3.455, P<0.001), step length (t=3.450, P=0.005), and step width (t=-5.987, P=0.005). Conclusion Cognitive training can increase the step length and gait initiation speed and reduce the step width in older adults with the fear of falling, which can lead to improved gait initiation.