Why can walking become slower and less efficient with age?

News summary

ScienceDaily framed the study as the aging body trading some walking efficiency for stability. The Gait & Posture paper analyzed 107 healthy adults and found that increasing age was associated with greater tibialis anterior–gastrocnemius co-contraction during parts of gait, alongside lower plantarflexion moments and reduced propulsive forces.

The pattern is consistent with a more conservative motor strategy: muscles around the ankle co-activate more to enhance joint stability, but this is accompanied by lower mechanical efficiency and propulsion.

The study does not prove that one specific exercise program reverses these changes, but it highlights the importance of lower-limb strength, balance, coordination, and regular activity with aging. Exercise recommendations should be individualized.

This was a cross-sectional secondary analysis, so it cannot show that the observed differences develop longitudinally within each individual or directly cause functional decline. Participants were also healthy, able-bodied adults.