Accuracy-speed-stability trade-offs in a targeted stepping task are similar in young and older adults

Background Stepping accuracy, speed, and stability are lower in older compared to young adults. Lower stepping performance in older adults may be due to larger accuracy-speed-stability trade-offs because of reduced ability to simultaneously fulfill these task-level goals. Our goal was to evaluate whether trade-offs are larger in older compared to young adults in a targeted stepping task. Since sensorimotor function declines with age, our secondary goal was to evaluate whether poorer sensorimotor function was associated with larger trade-offs. Methods 25 young (median 22 years old) and 25 older (median 70 years old) adults stepped into projected targets in conditions with various levels of accuracy, speed, and stability requirements. We determined trade-offs as the change in performance, i.e. foot placement error, step duration, and mediolateral center of pressure path length, between each of these conditions and a control condition. To assess age-related differences in the magnitude of trade-offs, we compared the change in performance between age groups. Associations between trade-offs and measures of sensorimotor function were tested using correlations. Results We found an accuracy-speed and an accuracy-stability trade-off in both young and older adults, but trade-offs were not different between young and older adults. Inter-subject differences in sensorimotor function could not explain inter-subject differences in trade-offs. Conclusion Age-related differences in the ability to combine task-level goals do not explain why older adults stepped less accurate and less stable than young adults. However, lower stability combined with an age-independent accuracy-stability trade-off could explain lower accuracy in older adults.