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Background: a large proportion of falls in older people occur when walking; however the mechanisms underlying impaired balance during gait are poorly understood.

Objective:  to evaluate acceleration patterns at the head and pelvis in young and older subjects when walking on a level and an irregular walking surface, in order to develop an understanding of how ageing affects postural responses to challenging walking conditions.

Methods: temporo‐spatial gait parameters and variables derived from acceleration signals were recorded in 30 young people aged 22–39 years (mean 29.0, SD 4.3), and 30 older people with a low risk of falling aged 75–85 years (mean 79.0, SD 3.0) while walking on a level and an irregular walking surface. Subjects also underwent tests of vision, sensation, strength, reaction time and balance.

Results: older subjects exhibited a more …