VERBAL COUNTING DURING WALK INFLUENCES FRACTAL DYNAMICS AND FLUCTUATION OF GAIT IN HEALTHY ADULTS

Abstract

This study compared the walking indices between with and without own verbal counting in 28 healthy adults (66.1± 8.4 years). Walking data were obtained using footswitches set in the participants’ shoes. Stride time (ST), coefficient　of variation of ST (STCV) and fractal scaling index (α) were calculated. ST and α were significantly correlated　with age (r=-0.47~-0.42, p＜0.05). When participants were divided into two groups by STCV and α, walking with　verbal counting significantly reduced the STCV of the higher STCV group, and increased the α of the lower α group.