The Effect of External and Internal Focus of Attention on Gait Variability in Older Adults

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Abstract

Internal focus of attention on a movement or focusing on an external target are both strategies that can affect motor performance. The authors explored whether manipulating subjects' focus of attention while walking would alter gait variability, a measure reflecting consistency of gait and associated with the risk of falling in older adults. Twenty community-living older adults participated in the study and were tested while focusing their attention on (a) gait consistency (internal focus) or (b) metronome beats (external focus). In both conditions gait variability increased (i.e., worsened p <.05) or did not change. No benefit was found in instructing subjects to focus on gait consistency or metronome beats. Such instructions may actually have distracted and interfered with the execution of gait.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)179-184
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Motor Behavior
Volume49
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 4 Mar 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Keywords

  • falls
  • focus of attention
  • gait variability
  • metronome
  • older adults

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biophysics
  • Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience

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