Joint movements associated with minimum toe clearance variability in older adults during level overground walking.

Background: Approximately one-third of falls are caused by the swing foot contacting an object or the ground, resulting in a trip. The increased incidence of trip-related falls among older adults may be explained by greater within-person minimum toe clearance (MTC) variability.

Research Question: Will kinematic variability at any of the 6 major joints in the lower limbs, individually or in combination, be associated with MTC variability?

Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated whether single or multiple joint movements best explained MTC variability in older adults.