Kinesiology doctoral student in Auburn's College of Education hosts webinar on mobility across the lifespan

In the Locomotor and Movement Control Lab housed in Auburn University’s School of Kinesiology, one statement guides much of the research and outreach performed by students: “Movement is our birthright, and it is our job to maintain it.”

Led by College of Education Associate Professor Jaimie Roper, the lab uses rigorous scientific inquiry and innovative methodologies to study how movement quality – not just quantity – affects long-term health outcomes and functional independence. Bria Smith, a doctoral student in the lab, recently hosted a free webinar with Auburn’s Office of Professional and Continuing Education to share information on movement and healthy aging.

“Your Mobility Matters: Checking on Gait and Balance” offers viewers insights into how movement can be a key component to a quality life. The webinar focuses on the importance of individuals monitoring their gait and balance as they would the rest of their body. Smith also discusses the lab’s goal of helping people thrive across their lifespan and how lab members achieve that through research and community involvement.

“Aside from increased mobility, physical activity and exercise have all sorts of physical and non-physical benefits, some of which include increases in muscle strength, bone density, sleep quality, an increase in blood flow to the brain, and also an increase in balance,” Smith said.

In addition, Smith said research shows one benefit of physical activity may be a decreased risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease or Alzheimer’s.

“For people with Parkinson’s Disease or Alzheimer’s or other neurodegenerative diseases, physical activity can even delay the progression of symptoms,” she said.

Another benefit of physical activity in older adults? A decrease in the risk of falling. However, Smith said, a key component is doing the appropriate amount of physical activity each week. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends adults ages 65 and older participate in 2.5 hours of physical activity per week.

“That’s 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity, per week,” Smith explained. “Breaking this into chunks, you could do 30 minutes of moderate activity for five days, or even 10 minutes of vigorous activity for every day of the week. When we break down these different intensities, we think about them in terms of our ability to talk or sing.”

She explains that with moderate physical activity, adults would still be able to talk or sing during the activity, but singing may be a bit difficult. For vigorous intensity activity, a person wouldn’t be able to say a few words without pausing for a breath.

This activity is studied daily in the Locomotor and Movement Control Lab, where lab members take a clinical perspective to biomechanics.

“We believe that movement is the key to a quality life, and our research focuses on how gait and balance change throughout the lifespan and in individuals with neurological and movement-related disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Essential Tremor,” Roper said.

Smith’s research interests include fall risk, gait and balance, and changes in movement throughout the lifespan. She completed her B.S. in exercise science with a minor in psychology at North Carolina A&T State University and her M.S. in exercise science with a concentration in biomechanics at Auburn University. Long term, she would like to become a professor at a research-intensive university and serve as a mentor to her students.

The full webinar is available online on the Office of Professional and Continuing Education website.