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Background. Falls in older individuals are a major public health issue because of the financial cost of surgery and rehabilitation and the human cost of associated pain and disability. Older individuals are most likely to fall when negotiating an obstacle or obstruction during locomotion. This research was aimed at investigating lower limb motion while a subject negotiated a raised surface.

Methods. The gait of six healthy young (Y) women (mean age 23.1 years) and six healthy older (O) women (mean age 67.6 years) were analyzed with a PEAK motion analyzer and a dual-force-platform system during unobstructed walking and when the subjects were stepping on and off a raised surface of 15 cm. The effect of age on foot clearance and force platform variables was analyzed.

Results. During stepping on, the young women cleared the step by the …