A fresh and exciting research has revealed why walking tends to deteriorate into becoming slower, more tiresome and less economical with getting older. Researchers discovered that the body gradually adopts a more “‘precaution-prone’ form of locomotion” that prioritizes stability at the cost of pace and economizing. This discovery supports the notion that aging results in more fatigue, a higher chance of falling and a slow deterioration of mobility.
According to the study performed by Dr Cody Lindsay (from Flinder’s University’s Caring Futures Institute) in collaboration with the University of Canberra and published in the journal Gait & Posture, the researchers examined the complex movement data of 107 healthy adults between the ages of 26 and 86. Their focus was the ankle and muscles surrounding it during each phase of the gait cycle.
Younger adults employ a relatively economical” ankle strategy” on walking – where the great muscles of the calf generate a strong push-off just before the foot leaves the ground, propelling us forward with less load on the nervous system, maintaining our stability at the same time. As we get older this system is “over-compensated” though – with an increase in co-contraction, or activation of the antagonistic muscles around the ankle joint. This stiffens the ankle joint upon foot strike, improving stability.
However, this evolutionary safeguard certainly has a cost. The stiff joint decreases power-production at push-off phase leading to a desired slow and short altered stride pattern in the aging population. This demands more musculoskeletal effort from each step.
“The nervous system is essentially compromising performance for safety,” said co-author Associate Professor Maarten Immink. While this protective approach can help someone not fall when walking on the level, it results in a less efficient, more exhausting gait and a decreased capacity to recover from trips and slips, common precursors to falls in the elderly.
These age-related modifications to walking strategies have large consequences for everyday mobility and independence. Because of the decreased push-off and shorter step lengths, walking becomes a lot more effortful for older adults than it did ten years ago. For this reason, following the natural decline in walking performance over the past decade, many seniors have expressed that they tire more quickly, tire more easily, or become less steady. In turn, this may cause them to avoid much of the natural environment, the stairs and social outings.
Slowly we begin to walk less often… Mobility worsens… losses of function in strength, balance and cardiovascular health, progress more rapidly, which in turn further discourages us from walking any more. It is common knowledge that our speed and running pace on day to day basis is the ‘best indicators of our health, independence and life span as an old person’. Moreover, the fact that our walking seems to become more ‘timid’ and less effective affects us biologicallyandpsychologically.
These results are also consistent with broader findings. In a large 2025 study of free-living mobility among community dwelling elderly people, the authors report that:
Fortunately, these changes are neither inevitable nor irreversible. Flinders researchers argue that, rather than focusing solely on general strength training, exercise programs should begin to include targeted exercises that improve balance, coordination and synergetic muscle control during stepping.
The evidence-based recommendations are:
- Balance and co-ordination exercises such as tai chi, single leg standing drills, and heel-to-toe walking, that retrain the nervous system and improve ankle control.
- Strengthening of the calf and ankle muscles in the lower leg to help improve push-off power.
- Activities that challenge dynamic stability – such as walking on uneven surfaces, light agility drills or supervised gait training – can help re-establish a more efficient movement pattern.
- Daily walking at a comfortable pace, gradually increasing the length of time or adding minor challenges such as hills or varied terrain as ability improves.
Small additions, done regularly, produce a cumulative effect. A large number of the senior participants about the balance and coordination activities reported a sense of steadiness and of increased vitality and assurance within a matter of weeks.
If we understand how walking strategies evolve with age, we can make adjustments-whether you’re an individual, a family member, or a health care provider. We won’t have to accept as a given that aging means your walking will slow down and become more strenuous.
Keeping as active as possible, doing specific training to improve balance and coordination, can all help to maintain an efficient gait, to reduce falls risk, and allow us to be independent in our mobility as long as possible. There is an ‘up’ side and a ‘down’ side from the current research: our bodies do attempt to safeguard themselves, but with adequate provision we can help them to do this in ways that prolong our freedom of movement.
Writeic.com is a creative platform dedicated to writers, interview, storytellers, and digital creators who want to inspire the world through words. The authors at Writeic share insights on writing, creativity, storytelling, motivation, success story, and content creation to help readers grow their voice and unlock their creative potential.
