Dual-Task Gait Analysis: Combined Cognitive–Motor Demands Most Severely Impact Walking Patterns and Joint Kinematics
Cognitive tasks significantly influence automated acts, such as walking. This study included 41 healthy individuals, who were over 65 years of age. We examined dual-task effects on the spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters of gait in older adults during four tasks carried out in single-task, cogni...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Nenad Nedović Slavica Mutavdžin Krneta Stevan Jovanović Danilo Vujičić Žiga Kozinc Dmitry Skvortsov |
| author_facet | Nenad Nedović Slavica Mutavdžin Krneta Stevan Jovanović Danilo Vujičić Žiga Kozinc Dmitry Skvortsov |
| author_sort | Nenad Nedović |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cognitive tasks significantly influence automated acts, such as walking. This study included 41 healthy individuals, who were over 65 years of age. We examined dual-task effects on the spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters of gait in older adults during four tasks carried out in single-task, cognitive, motor, and combined cognitive–motor conditions. An analysis of walking according to spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters was performed using an inertial movement analysis system. The combined task showed the most significant impairments, with substantially reduced gait speed (<i>p</i> < 0.001, r = −0.80), shorter stride length (<i>p</i> < 0.001, r = −0.82), and decreased hip flexion (<i>p</i> < 0.001, r = −0.80) compared to single-task walking. Cognitive tasks alone significantly affected gait speed (<i>p</i> = 0.001) and stride length (<i>p</i> = 0.001), while motor tasks showed minimal effects. The combined task also significantly increased double-support time (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and reduced single-support time (<i>p</i> = 0.001), indicating compensatory walking strategies. These findings demonstrate that concurrent cognitive–motor demands disproportionately impair gait, suggesting that clinical assessments should prioritize combined-task evaluation. The observed kinematic and spatiotemporal changes highlight the profound interdependence between cognitive function and automatic locomotor control during walking. It is likely that dual-task gait analysis may offer clinical utility for the early detection of cognitive–motor deficits. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-59ecb65154ee46d9b3930c3e822bc26b |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj-art-59ecb65154ee46d9b3930c3e822bc26b2025-08-20T02:45:53ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292025-06-01157100910.3390/life15071009Dual-Task Gait Analysis: Combined Cognitive–Motor Demands Most Severely Impact Walking Patterns and Joint KinematicsNenad Nedović0Slavica Mutavdžin Krneta1Stevan Jovanović2Danilo Vujičić3Žiga Kozinc4Dmitry Skvortsov5Academy of Applied Studies Belgrade, College of Health Sciences, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaFaculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Physiology, University of Belgrade, “Richard Burian”, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaAcademy of Applied Studies Belgrade, College of Health Sciences, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaAcademy of Applied Studies Belgrade, College of Health Sciences, 11000 Belgrade, SerbiaFaculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Polje 42, SI-6310 Izola, SloveniaCenter for Brain and Neurotechnology, Moscow 117513, RussiaCognitive tasks significantly influence automated acts, such as walking. This study included 41 healthy individuals, who were over 65 years of age. We examined dual-task effects on the spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters of gait in older adults during four tasks carried out in single-task, cognitive, motor, and combined cognitive–motor conditions. An analysis of walking according to spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters was performed using an inertial movement analysis system. The combined task showed the most significant impairments, with substantially reduced gait speed (<i>p</i> < 0.001, r = −0.80), shorter stride length (<i>p</i> < 0.001, r = −0.82), and decreased hip flexion (<i>p</i> < 0.001, r = −0.80) compared to single-task walking. Cognitive tasks alone significantly affected gait speed (<i>p</i> = 0.001) and stride length (<i>p</i> = 0.001), while motor tasks showed minimal effects. The combined task also significantly increased double-support time (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and reduced single-support time (<i>p</i> = 0.001), indicating compensatory walking strategies. These findings demonstrate that concurrent cognitive–motor demands disproportionately impair gait, suggesting that clinical assessments should prioritize combined-task evaluation. The observed kinematic and spatiotemporal changes highlight the profound interdependence between cognitive function and automatic locomotor control during walking. It is likely that dual-task gait analysis may offer clinical utility for the early detection of cognitive–motor deficits.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/7/1009spatiotemporal parametersgait deteriorationaging population |
| spellingShingle | Nenad Nedović Slavica Mutavdžin Krneta Stevan Jovanović Danilo Vujičić Žiga Kozinc Dmitry Skvortsov Dual-Task Gait Analysis: Combined Cognitive–Motor Demands Most Severely Impact Walking Patterns and Joint Kinematics Life spatiotemporal parameters gait deterioration aging population |
| title | Dual-Task Gait Analysis: Combined Cognitive–Motor Demands Most Severely Impact Walking Patterns and Joint Kinematics |
| title_full | Dual-Task Gait Analysis: Combined Cognitive–Motor Demands Most Severely Impact Walking Patterns and Joint Kinematics |
| title_fullStr | Dual-Task Gait Analysis: Combined Cognitive–Motor Demands Most Severely Impact Walking Patterns and Joint Kinematics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dual-Task Gait Analysis: Combined Cognitive–Motor Demands Most Severely Impact Walking Patterns and Joint Kinematics |
| title_short | Dual-Task Gait Analysis: Combined Cognitive–Motor Demands Most Severely Impact Walking Patterns and Joint Kinematics |
| title_sort | dual task gait analysis combined cognitive motor demands most severely impact walking patterns and joint kinematics |
| topic | spatiotemporal parameters gait deterioration aging population |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/7/1009 |
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