Walking feels effortless when you’re young, but tends to get harder with age — and researchers now have a clearer picture of why, and it starts at the ankle.
In a study of 107 adults aged 26 to 86, researchers from Flinders University and the University of Canberra found that as people age, opposing muscles around the ankle increasingly tense against each other — a phenomenon called co-contraction. The result is a stiffer, more stable joint that produces less push-off power, making each step less efficient. The work appeared in the journal Gait & Posture.
A “safety-first” trade-off
The researchers describe the change as the body prioritizing stability over efficiency — effectively stiffening the ankle to reduce the risk of stumbling, at the cost of the springy push-off that powers a smooth, economical stride. That helps explain why older adults often walk more slowly and tire more easily, even without obvious injury or disease.
Why it matters
Understanding where and how walking efficiency is lost could guide better exercise and rehabilitation strategies — for example, training that targets ankle strength and coordination — to help older adults stay mobile and independent longer.