Differences in gait pattern between the elderly and the young during level walking under low illumination.

The purpose of this study was to compare changes in the gait pattern between the elderly and young during level (i.e., even surface) walking under low illumination. Vision during walking plays a role in avoiding obstacles and uneven surfaces, as well as an important role in the proactive control of dynamic stability and route planning for level walking. Fourteen elderly and fourteen young male subjects walked on a 7 m walkway with two illumination conditions using self-selected walking speed: walking with normal (>300 lux) and low illumination (<10 lux). Walking speed, stance phase ratio, toe clearance on swing phase, and range of motion at the center of mass were used to compare the differences in gait pattern between two illumination conditions and ages. During walking with low illumination, walking speed and stance phase ratio of the young decreased, and toe clearance of the young increased. However, there was no difference in these variables due to low illumination in the elderly subjects. Despite level walking conditions, there were some differences in gait pattern between the young and the elderly due to illumination conditions. This implies that the young showed a more positive change of gait pattern, due to low illumination, than that of the elderly. In this respect, further study is necessary to identify differences between the young and the elderly, when they walk on an uneven or obstacle walkway with low illumination.