Effects of a Dual-Task on Crossing an Obstacle Versus Initiating Gait

Abstract

Abstract.[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the manner in which young adults step over an obstacle or initiate gait while performing a secondary Stroop task, which requires direct attention.[Subjects] Ten healthy young adults (5 male and 5 female) participated in the study.[Methods] Subjects first completed a Stroop task while standing (baseline) and then initiated gait or stepped over an obstacle as fast as possible with or without a secondary Stroop task. Response times to the secondary task and the gait parameters were measured.[Results] The response time to the secondary Stroop task in the stepping task was longest followed by gait initiation (GI) and standing (p<0.01). The values of bilateral step time and left stance time for stepping with the secondary task were significantly longer than stepping and GI without the secondary task (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences between tasks in bilateral step and stride length. [Conclusion] This study suggests that even healthy and physically fit young adults have to modify gait parameters in situations where they are engaged in concurrent tasks because of their reduced ability to attend to multiple tasks simultaneously.

Obstacle Avoidance amongst Parkinson Disease Patients Is Challenged in a Threatening Context

“…We suggest that the changes in obstacle avoidance behaviour observed among PD patients in the threatening context may be the result of constraints induced when some attention is directed toward a threatening environment [ 12 ]. Previous studies have used dual task paradigms to elicit similar obstacle negotiation deficits among neurotypical populations [ 23 , 24 ].…”

The influence of accuracy constraints on EMG and kinetic variables during gait initiation

“…Significant correlations between kinetic events, time to stepping-limb TO, amplitude and duration of TA, and intended velocity of GI have been reported 5 ) . Similar patterns of modulation seem to occur when stepping to a new height 15 ) or over an obstacle 7 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ) .…”

Dual Tasking during Trip Recovery and Obstacle Clearance among Young, Healthy Adults in Human Factors Research

“…Vision-based cognitive tasks are commonly used in trip-related studies. The visual Stroop test [ 13 , 14 , 18 ] visuospatial attention test [ 14 , 15 ], and visuomotor tracking test [ 16 , 17 ] are some widely used tasks. The visual Stroop test can be congruent (name of the color and the font color are the same) or incongruent (name of the color and the font color are different), and the participants must mention the font color, not the word written [ 18 ].…”

“…In the visuomotor tracking task (VTT), the participants must continuously track a pseudorandom target displayed on a screen using a pursuit cursor or joystick [ 16 , 17 ]. With a concurrent visual task, increased toe-clearance height, slower foot velocity, longer non-dominant leg stance during obstacle crossing, greater tripping incidences, and increased near falls are reported [ 13 , 14 , 18 ]. Foot placement during trip recovery or obstacle clearance needs visual information.…”

“…In Pitman et al (2021), a visuomotor task was conducted, which takes away a significant portion of the vision. Further, having to respond verbally can be considered as an additional verbal task, e.g., verbally respond to the visual Stroop test [ 13 , 14 ], or the auditory Stroop test [ 5 , 8 , 19 , 20 , 22 ], or a VAT [ 14 , 15 ]. Therefore, performing a control trial with no secondary tasks, and further DT trails with standardized and normalized intrinsic (human) factors and external (environmental) factors to understand the impact of the secondary DT task on the task of interest must be encouraged.…”