‘Dual Task’ Walking Tests Say A Lot About How You’re Ageing

Can you walk while successfully doing another activity at the same time?

Known as dual-task gait performance, a 2023 paper found struggling to do this has been linked to a risk of falls and cognitive decline in adults aged 65 and over.

The researchers found that most people begin to struggle with the test in their 60s, and that after that point, participants’ cognitive health seemed to influence their performance most.

Another paper suggested a dual-task gait test could help to predict cognitive impairment better than single-task gait speed measurement.

But what is a dual-task gait test, and why might it matter? Here’s what Dr Donald Grant, a GP and senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, told us.

These involve walking while doing another activity at the same time (hence the “dual” task). Often, the second task is distracting, e.g. counting back from 1,000 in sevens.

They might involve maths-based tasks or more physical jobs, like nodding your head or holding a glass of water. The real world is filled with these combined tasks, like accepting a call on a walk, a 2021 paper argued.

We know that older adults’ gait, or walking style and speed, can say a lot about how they’re ageing.

But when you add a cognitive or physical distraction to that, Dr Grant said, dual task walking tests “can give us a useful insight into how an individual’s brain and body are working together”.

He added: “As we age, our cognitive abilities can be impacted, making these tasks less automatic, requiring more active thinking.

“When people start to struggle with dual-task examinations, it could indicate cognitive ageing, which is perfectly natural as people get older. This means it can become more challenging to divide attention between thinking and movement simultaneously, which may increase people’s risk of falls.”

The doctor said “walking is more than a physical movement” as it requires clear thinking, coordination and strong mobility, “so dual task tests can help identify any early signs of concern”.

Despite being a “great functional assessment tool, as they accurately measure how well a person can perform everyday tasks simultaneously,” Dr Grant said dual-task walking tests aren’t the be-all and end-all.

“These walking tests can provide a good snapshot of overall health, but they’re never used to actively diagnose potential health concerns. They can help form part of a larger assessment, allowing medical professionals to better understand an individual’s mobility and cognitive abilities,” he said.

But to measure ageing, GPs tend to look at a combination of factors, such as pre-existing health conditions, physical function and cognitive abilities, he added.

The expert ended: “Simple observations, such as memory tests, plus speed, balance or mobility examinations, can all help build a picture of how someone is functioning day to day.”