A comparison of distance perception in active and inactive elderly with an emphasis on physical activity

Introduction and Walking difficulty, visual impairment and distance perception disorders are the most important problems in old age. The purpose of this study was to compare distance perception in active and inactive elderly with an emphasis on physical activity. This causal-comparative study was conducted among elderly men in the city of Tabriz. Random sampling method was used to recruit 25 active and 25 inactive elderly into this study. Distance perception was measured by direct observation of elderly walking with closed eyes in a straight line towards pre-specified target and percentage of error was used as the indicator of distance perception. Data were analyzed using SPSS via independent sample t-test. The results of this study showed that active elderly had significantly (p<0.05) longer step length, lower number of steps and shorter walking time compared to inactive elderly. Findings from the present study confirmed superiority of active lifestyle in terms of physical activity. These results show that physical activity increases the confidence in elderly to take longer steps and walk a distance in shorter time.