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Background: Improving gait is in exercise programs for older adults (OAs) but little is known about how different gait-training approaches affect spatiotemporal parameters and plantar pressure distributions in OAs. High plantar pressures are linked to tissue injury risk, ulceration, and pain in OAs, but no studies have yet compared how they affect podobarometric variables.Research Question: The effect of changing plantar pressure on absolute and mean maximum pressure, the pressure-time integral, stride time, stance time, and gait speed in OAs following either a multicomponent training program (EG) or interval-walking training (WG).Methods: Comfortable gait speed, strength (seat-to-stand test), and plantar pressure (Pedar-X mobile in-shoe system), were evaluated in 23 OAs (EG: n = 12, 7 female, 71.58 ± 4.56 years; WG: n = 11, 6 female, 69.64 ± 3.56 years), by dividing the plantar area into 9 regions.Results: After 14 weeks, the maximum pressure in medial and central metatarsus areas in the dominant leg were reduced in the EG (p = 0.01 &p = 0.04, respectively), but increased in the non-dominant leg lateral heel in the WG (p = 0.03). The mean maximum pressure also increased in the WG in medial heel in the dominant leg (p = 0.02) and lateral heel in the non-dominant leg (p = 0.03). The overall pressure-time integral reduced in the whole plantar area in both legs in both groups. WG reduced stride time (dominant: p = 0.01; non-dominant: p = 0.01) and stance time (dominant: p < 0.005; non-dominant: p < 0.005). Gait speed did not change in any group. As expected, lower limb strength improved after both exercise programs (EG: p = 0.02; WG: p = 0.01).Significance: Although these training interventions were short, they indicate the importance of exercise types. Our results suggest that OAs might benefit from periodized training, especially when multicomponent programs are introduced prior to the walking goals. Future, larger studies should explore situations in which special populations with specific foot problems might benefit from these interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of a treadmill and the environment where it is based could influence the user's gaze and have an effect on their running kinematics and lower limb impacts. The aim of this study was to identify the effect of visual focus on spatio-temporal parameters and lower limb kinematics during treadmill running. Twenty six experienced runners ran at 3.33ms-1 on a treadmill under two visual conditions, either looking ahead at a wall or looking down at the treadmill visual display. Spatio-temporal parameters, impact accelerations of the head and tibia, and knee and ankle kinematics were measured for the final 15s of a 90s bout of running under each condition. At the end of the test, participants reported their preference for the visual conditions assessed. Participants' stride angle, flight time, knee flexion during the flight phase, and ankle eversion during contact time were increased when runners directed visual focus toward the wall compared to the treadmill display (p<0.05). Whilst head acceleration was also increased in the wall condition (p<0.05), the other acceleration parameters were unaffected (p>0.05). However, the effect size of all biomechanical alterations was small. The Treadmill condition was the preferred condition by the participants (p<0.001; ESw=1.0). The results of the current study indicate that runners had a greater mass centre vertical displacement when they ran looking ahead, probably with the aim of compensating for reduced visual feedback, which resulted in larger head accelerations. Greater knee flexion during the flight phase and ankle eversion during the contact time were suggested as compensatory mechanisms for lower limb impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin temperature assessment has received much attention as a possible measurement of physiological response against stress produced by exercise and research studies usually measure skin temperature 24 or 48 h after exercise. Scientific evidence about skin temperature evolution during the 24-h period immediately after exercising is, however, scarce. The aim was to assess the effect of a 10 km run at moderate intensity on baseline skin temperature and thermal response after a cold stress test during that 24 h period. Fourteen participants were measured before, immediately after, and at 2, 5, 9 and 24 h after a 10 km run at a perceived exertion rate of 11 points (max 20 points). Fourteen control participants who undertook no exercise were also measured during that day. The measurements included muscle pain and fatigue perception, reactive oxygen species, heart rate variability, skin temperature of the lower limbs, and skin temperature after cold stress test. Exercise resulted in a skin temperature increase (e.g., 0.5–1.3 °C of posterior leg 9 h after exercise) and this effect continued in some regions (0.4–0.9 °C of posterior leg) over that 24 h period. However, the thermal response to the cold stress test remained the same (p > 0.05). In conclusion, 10 km aerobic running exercise results in a skin temperature increase, peaking at between 5 and 9 h after exercise, but does not alter the thermal response to a cold stress test. This study provides a sound basis for post-exercise skin temperature response that can be used as a setting-off point for comparisons with future studies that analyze greater muscle damage. • Lower limbs skin temperature (Skt) of control group increased during the day. • 10 km of moderate running had a higher increase of Skt than control group. • Thermal response after cold stress test was unaltered by running 10 km. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gait is negatively affected with increasing age. It is widely accepted that training produces physical-functional improvements in older adults, which can be assessed with numerous physical-functional tests. However, very few studies have been carried out using accelerometry to analyse the training effect on kinetic and kinematic variables in older adults, and there is no one that investigate the effects of two different training programs. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyse the effects of an interval-walking program and a multicomponent program on the acceleration impacts, shock attenuation, step-length, stride frequency, and gait speed in older adults. 23 participants were divided into multicomponent training group [ n = 12, 7 female, 71.58 (4.56) years] and interval-walking group [ n = 11, 6 female, 69.64 (3.56) years]. We evaluated the participants using three triaxial accelerometers, placing one on the distal end of each tibia and one on the forehead. After 14 weeks' of training, the maximum acceleration values both for the head accelerometer and for the non-dominant tibia, as well as the attenuation in the same leg, increased in the multicomponent training group. The maximum acceleration values for the head and the stride frequency also increased in the interval-walking group. Lower limb strength improved in both groups. Given the benefits we found for each of these programs, we encourage their consideration when planning older adults training programs and suggest that multicomponent programs should be introduced prior to the start of walking-based programs. • Multicomponent program increases peak acceleration & attenuation in non-dominant leg. • Interval-walking program affect spatio-temporal parameters: stride frequency. • Both training programs increase lower limb strength. • We suggest introducing multicomponent training prior walking-based in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]