Muscle Activation of Older Adults With and Without Parkinson’s Disease During Street Crossing Simulations

Abstract

Abstract:Crossing streets is a complex daily activity that requires planning and represents great attentional demand. Changes in gait in older adults can make street crossing a risky situation, especially for those with Parkinson's disease (PD). The objective of this study was to analyze the activation of ankle muscles of older adults with and without PD during comfortable speed gait and during street crossing simulations. The participants were 21 older adults without PD (age = 69±2) and 19 older adults with PD (age = 69±2). The electromyographic activity of the lower limb muscles was analyzed during comfortable speed gait (I), gait during simulated street crossing with regular (II) and with reduced time (III). The anterior tibialis and gastrocnemius activation of older adults without PD were not different in conditions I and II, but were higher in condition III than in conditions I and II. Older adults with PD presented higher levels of activation of all muscles in condition II and III than in condition I, and higher in condition III than in condition II. There was an effect of street crossing simulations in the muscular activity in both groups also; however, the older adults with PD tend to had a greater increase in the activity of the ankle muscles.