Dual task and functional mobility of active elderly

INTRODUCTION: Dual task can be defined as the ability to perform a primary action embedded in a second activity. In the elderly, it is presumed that the performance of concurrent actions disturb the postural balance, favoring falls in this population. AIMS: To evaluate the effect of dual tasks in functional mobility of active seniors and correlate the time used for its realization with the individual's age. METHODS: Cross-sectional, observational study with a convenience sample. Nineteen elderly from Universidade Aberta à Terceira Idade, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, aged between 60 and 87 years, classified as physically active by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire IPAQ and with a minimum score that reaches 23 points on the Mini-Mental State Examination MMSE were evaluated during 9 sequential tests. The first one required a single task, which was represented by the Timed Up & Go TUG test, used to assess functional mobility of seniors. TUG was repeated in all other tests, in which was included a second action - manual activity in two tests and cognitive activity in six tests. RESULTS: The elderly spent longer period performing associated tasks considering both motor and motor-cognitive combined actions when compared with time spent during the simple task. Positive correlation between age and the tests that incorporate cognitive activity to achieve the TUG was established. CONCLUSION: Physically active seniors require a longer period to perform the dual motor task involving distinct functions and coordinates between the upper limbs, and the same occurs for the performance of motor-cognitive dual tasks. The higher the age, the greater the time to perform double tasks, especially when associated with activities requiring short-term memory.