Tell me - A recent study revealed exciting results that could transform our understanding of the relationship between walking style and long-term health, pointing out that the way an individual walks in their twenties could predict their health status in their sixties, especially in terms of the risk of potentially fatal falls.
In a study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, experts from Stanford University in America discovered their ability to accurately predict the risk of falling through three simple measurements during walking; these included: the variability in step width, the difference in timing each step, and the regularity of foot placements on the ground.
The researchers affirmed that each of these measurements was accurate at 86% in predicting whether an individual would fall later in the experiment.
To achieve these results, the study was conducted on 10 healthy volunteers aged between 24 and 31 years, who were asked to walk on a treadmill in front of 11 specialized cameras, allowing scientists to collect precise data about each person's walking method from all angles.
In the second stage, the walking was repeated on the treadmill, but this time with added challenges to simulate the effects of aging: heavy ankle weights, a vision-impairing mask, and unsettling air jets for stability. These setups were designed to mimic balance loss and the slowed reaction times associated with aging.
By analyzing the results, the researchers found that participants who showed the greatest variance in step width, step timing, and foot placement in the first phase were more prone to falls in the second phase.
In this regard, JiaYin Wu, the lead author of the study, explained that the data collected in their study could be used to predict falls among the elderly before they become actually at risk, stating: "The real challenge is that minor imbalances in balance may go unnoticed until the person actually falls."
She emphasized that preventing falls before they occur could save many lives and billions of dollars on healthcare systems.
These findings are of particular importance given the severe repercussions of falls on the elderly, which are a major cause of injuries and deaths among this age group in many countries, such as the United Kingdom, according to the "Daily Mail".
According to official data, one-third of people over 65 in Britain fall each year, and this type of accident is classified as the most common cause of death resulting from injuries in this age group.
Moreover, falling is the main reason for emergency department visits by the elderly in the United Kingdom, and the annual cost of treating injuries resulting from them is estimated at about 2 billion British pounds by the National Health Service (NHS).
Official statistics indicate that England recorded nearly 220,000 hospital admissions due to falls among those over 65 in the past year.
