Effects of Age on Spinal Rotation during a Driving Task
Abstract
Many older adults experience declines in their flexibility, which in turn can affect their safe operation of a vehicle and their driving performance. Previous research has shown that reduced trunk flexibility is associated with greater accident risks. To explore further questions about and measures of spinal flexibility, differences in spinal flexibility between younger and older drivers were explored in two contexts: a stretching exercise and a real driving maneuver. Results indicated that younger drivers had on average greater stretch spinal flexibility than older drivers, but that during the driving maneuver, study participants did whatever necessary, such as bracing themselves on the seatback or steering wheel, to overcome any flexibility limitations to complete the driving task. Using a multivariate regression mode, the degree of spinal rotation in the stretch and driving tasks were significantly affected by age and by the use of the vehicle to brace while rotating. In the stretch tasks, self-reported health and driving frequency were jointly statistically significant predictors of degree of rotation. In terms of driving, however, the use of bracing suggests that drivers may have evolved strategies to compensate for any physical limitations they may experience to continue driving.
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Article first published online: January 1, 2008
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