GAIT ADAPTATIONS AND DORSIFLEXION STRENGTH OF OLDER CARIBBEAN AMERICANS AFTER AN EXERCISE PROGRAM
Other Scholarly Work
Vieira, ER, Tappen, RM, Severi, MM et al. (2017). GAIT ADAPTATIONS AND DORSIFLEXION STRENGTH OF OLDER CARIBBEAN AMERICANS AFTER AN EXERCISE PROGRAM
. 1(Suppl 1), 402-402.
Vieira, ER, Tappen, RM, Severi, MM et al. (2017). GAIT ADAPTATIONS AND DORSIFLEXION STRENGTH OF OLDER CARIBBEAN AMERICANS AFTER AN EXERCISE PROGRAM
. 1(Suppl 1), 402-402.
Abstract Older Caribbeans are migrating to the US in increasing numbers. They have difficulty integrating and often become isolated and deconditioned. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and effects of an exercise program on walking during street crossing situations and on the dorsiflexion strength of older Caribbean Americans. Ten older Caribbean Americans completed a 30 to 40 minutes long group exercise program twice a week for 6 months with assessments at baseline, 3 and 6 months including measures of walking velocity, cadence, step length, base support, swing and stance time, single and double support time, knee flexion, and dorsiflexion strength. Participants walked 3 times at preferred speed (reference to normalize the street crossing simulations), and at simulated street crossing with regular time and with reduced time. There were no significant differences between street crossing conditions at baseline, but there were significant differences between conditions at 3 and 6 months for velocity (P < 0.005) and peak knee flexion (P < 0.013), and at 6 months for cadence (P = 0.009), step length (P = 0.012), swing time (P = 0.045), single (P = 0.036) and double support time (P = 0.013). Dorsiflexion strength at 6 months was significantly higher than during baseline (p<0.001) and 3 months (P = 0.004). The program was feasible, acceptable, and showed some positive effects on walking and knee flexion during street crossing situations, and on the dorsiflexion strength.
