ABSTRACT
Objective:To compare the biomechanical characteristics and cognitive task performance of the young and the old adults as ascending and descending staircase. Methods:From March to April, 2018, 25 volunteers, including twelve old persons aged (71.54±3.25) and 13 young persons aged (22.24±1.56), were tested with continuous minus seven as sitting (pre-test), walking up and down stairs, walking up and down stairs with continuous minus seven and continuous minus seven as sitting again (post-test). Results:The performance of continuous minus seven was better as walking up stairs and post-test than pre-test in the old persons, and it was better as both up and down stairs, as well as post-test than pre-test in the young persons. As walking up stairs, the main effects of both age (F > 5.037,P < 0.05) and task (F > 6.122,P < 0.05) were significant in walking time, step length, frequency and speed; while walking down stairs, the main effects of both age (F > 17.252,P < 0.01) and task (F > 6.274,P < 0.05) were significant in walking time, step frequency and speed. Conclusion:People would alter the focus on cognitive tasks according to the difficulty of the action. The old adults would be more conservative in the action as upstair during the dual task, and would pay less attention to cognitive task additionally as downstair.