The present study investigated whether moving the front extremity forward over the center of mass (touch down distance; TD) at foot contact or moving the rear extremity backward at foot release (release distance; RD) affects the elongation of step length (SL) in the elderly. 18 older individuals (mean age, 83.6±8.0 years) living in a geriatric health services facility. The positively linear coefficient was found TD and RD in relation to walking speed. However, the increase in TD was caused by a diminished forward trunk flexion angle at foot contact. On the other hand, these results suggest that the increase in RD was associated with the hip extension angle, because the diminished forward trunk flexion angle at foot release was caused by the shortening of RD.
