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Do aging suits adequately simulate objective age-related decline in gait? A kinematic comparison of induced aging in young and middle-aged adults.

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Title: Do aging suits adequately simulate objective age-related decline in gait? A kinematic comparison of induced aging in young and middle-aged adults.
Authors: Gerhardy, Thomas H. (AUTHOR), Schmidt, Laura I. (AUTHOR), Wahl, Hans-Werner (AUTHOR), Mombaur, Katja (AUTHOR), Sloot, Lizeth H. (AUTHOR)
Source: Educational Gerontology. Jan2026, Vol. 52 Issue 1, p26-40. 15p.
Subjects: Reference values, Ankle, Clothing & dress, Cognitive testing, Task performance, Research funding, Spatial behavior, Body mass index, T-test (Statistics), Data analysis, Two-way analysis of variance, Parameters (Statistics), Diagnosis, Gait in humans, Age distribution, Descriptive statistics, Simulation methods in education, Hip joint, Mathematical statistics, Aging, Statistics, Digital video, Comparative studies, Walking speed, Data analysis software, Knee, Physical activity, Grip strength, Range of motion of joints, Motion capture (Human mechanics), Adults, Middle age
Geographic Terms: Germany
Abstract: Background and Objectives: Aging suits are widely used as arguably didactic tool to foster understanding for age-related challenges in healthcare training by mimicking physical impairments associated with aging. However, effects on functional levels are ambiguous and necessitating validation of their potential to simulate age-related walking impairments. We evaluated effects of wearing an aging suit on kinematic gait variables, in younger and middle-aged adults in different walking conditions. Available reference data were used to compare aging-suit induced effects to standard and dual-task walking in older adults. Research Design and Methods: Whole-body kinematics (sagittal ankle-, knee-, hip-angles, arm-swing, trunk-bend) and spatiotemporal parameters (walking speed, stride length, step width) were measured in 14 young (20–34 years) and 15 middle-aged adults (40–63 years). SPM analysis and mixed ANOVA were conducted to evaluate the effects of the suit, age-group and their interaction. Results: Overall, wearing the aging suit changed gait patterns, but kinematic parameters were hardly affected in both groups. During standard walking, arm-swing decreased by 17%, walking speed by 9%, and step width increased by 15% across both groups. Compared to reference data, changes in arm-swing corresponded to an instant aging effect of 45–55 years in young and 15–25 years in middle-aged adults. Discussion and Implications: The aging suit changed gait patterns considerably making both groups walk more cautiously compared to reference values of older adults. However, performance deficits seen in individuals 80+ years were clearly not attained. Caution is advised when using aging suits as an educational tool to simulate age-related walking impairments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Educational Gerontology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Do aging suits adequately simulate objective age-related decline in gait? A kinematic comparison of induced aging in young and middle-aged adults.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Educational+Gerontology%22">Educational Gerontology</searchLink>. Jan2026, Vol. 52 Issue 1, p26-40. 15p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reference+values%22">Reference values</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ankle%22">Ankle</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Clothing+%26+dress%22">Clothing & dress</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+testing%22">Cognitive testing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Task+performance%22">Task performance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spatial+behavior%22">Spatial behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Body+mass+index%22">Body mass index</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22T-test+%28Statistics%29%22">T-test (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis%22">Data analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Two-way+analysis+of+variance%22">Two-way analysis of variance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parameters+%28Statistics%29%22">Parameters (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Diagnosis%22">Diagnosis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gait+in+humans%22">Gait in humans</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+distribution%22">Age distribution</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Simulation+methods+in+education%22">Simulation methods in education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hip+joint%22">Hip joint</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematical+statistics%22">Mathematical statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Aging%22">Aging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistics%22">Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Digital+video%22">Digital video</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+studies%22">Comparative studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Walking+speed%22">Walking speed</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Knee%22">Knee</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physical+activity%22">Physical activity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grip+strength%22">Grip strength</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Range+of+motion+of+joints%22">Range of motion of joints</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motion+capture+%28Human+mechanics%29%22">Motion capture (Human mechanics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adults%22">Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+age%22">Middle age</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Germany%22">Germany</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background and Objectives: Aging suits are widely used as arguably didactic tool to foster understanding for age-related challenges in healthcare training by mimicking physical impairments associated with aging. However, effects on functional levels are ambiguous and necessitating validation of their potential to simulate age-related walking impairments. We evaluated effects of wearing an aging suit on kinematic gait variables, in younger and middle-aged adults in different walking conditions. Available reference data were used to compare aging-suit induced effects to standard and dual-task walking in older adults. Research Design and Methods: Whole-body kinematics (sagittal ankle-, knee-, hip-angles, arm-swing, trunk-bend) and spatiotemporal parameters (walking speed, stride length, step width) were measured in 14 young (20–34 years) and 15 middle-aged adults (40–63 years). SPM analysis and mixed ANOVA were conducted to evaluate the effects of the suit, age-group and their interaction. Results: Overall, wearing the aging suit changed gait patterns, but kinematic parameters were hardly affected in both groups. During standard walking, arm-swing decreased by 17%, walking speed by 9%, and step width increased by 15% across both groups. Compared to reference data, changes in arm-swing corresponded to an instant aging effect of 45–55 years in young and 15–25 years in middle-aged adults. Discussion and Implications: The aging suit changed gait patterns considerably making both groups walk more cautiously compared to reference values of older adults. However, performance deficits seen in individuals 80+ years were clearly not attained. Caution is advised when using aging suits as an educational tool to simulate age-related walking impairments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Educational Gerontology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/03601277.2025.2468470
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 26
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Reference values
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ankle
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Clothing & dress
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cognitive testing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Task performance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spatial behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Body mass index
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: T-test (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Two-way analysis of variance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parameters (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Diagnosis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gait in humans
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Age distribution
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Simulation methods in education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hip joint
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematical statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Aging
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Digital video
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Comparative studies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Walking speed
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Knee
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physical activity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grip strength
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Range of motion of joints
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Motion capture (Human mechanics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Adults
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Middle age
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Germany
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Do aging suits adequately simulate objective age-related decline in gait? A kinematic comparison of induced aging in young and middle-aged adults.
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              M: 01
              Text: Jan2026
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              Y: 2026
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