Human Movement Science

Head-eye coordination during ball interception depends on both task demands and motor experience. The purpose of this study is to determine how these factors influence head-eye contributions to gaze control. Twenty-five female university students (novices with no ball sport experience, n = 13; experienced softball players, n = 12) performed two tasks: visually tracking an approaching ball (tracking task) and, in addition, moving the hand to the ball's landing position (reaching task). Head, eye, and gaze velocities, cross-correlation coefficients between gaze and head velocity, and gaze-head lag time were analyzed using linear mixed models. The results showed that although gaze velocity remained unchanged regardless of tasks or groups, decomposing gaze into head and eye components revealed task-dependent contributions. Compared with the tracking task, the reaching task showed significantly larger head velocity and smaller eye velocity, indicating complementary adjustments that were not revealed by gaze movements alone. The cross-correlation between head and gaze was significantly higher in the reaching task than the tracking task, indicating stronger temporal coupling under greater task demand. Furthermore, the experienced group showed greater task-dependent modulation of eye velocity than the novice group, demonstrating greater flexibility in adjusting the magnitude of head-eye movements to task demands. In addition, the experienced group showed a consistently near-zero gaze-head lag regardless of task, whereas the novice group showed a prolonged gaze-leads-head interval. These findings suggest that ball sport experience shapes two distinct aspects of head-eye coordination: task-dependent flexibility in movement magnitude, and stable, temporally synchronized gaze-head control.

Targeted stepping requires coordinating limb transport, preparatory postural adjustments, and accurate foot placement while maintaining balance under competing speed and accuracy demands. Although Fitts' law robustly describes speed-accuracy trade-offs (SATs) in upper-limb movements, its applicability to whole-body stepping remains unclear due to additional postural and visuomotor constraints. This study investigates how instructional emphasis and spatial demands modulate SAT regulation and pre-step postural dynamics during stepping. Twenty-four healthy young adults will perform a multidirectional stepping task across two directions (0 degrees and 45 degrees) and two distances (45% and 80% of leg length) under three instruction conditions: Fast, Accurate, and Fast & Accurate. Kinematic and force-plate data will quantify movement time, foot-placement error, and pre-step center-of-pressure dynamics. We hypothesize that instructional emphasis and increased postural demands will systematically alter stepping strategies and produce deviations from classical Fitts-type scaling, particularly during diagonal stepping.

The present study aimed to directly replicate the seminal findings of Decety et al. (1989), while also extending the original work with a larger sample size and additional statistical analyses. Thirty healthy adults completed both imagined and executed walking tasks over distances of 5, 10, and 15 meters. Participants also completed the Movement Imagery Questionnaire 3 (MIQ 3). Temporal correspondence between imagined and executed walking was assessed using repeated-measures ANOVA, correlation analyses, Bayesian equivalence tests, and Bland Altman analyses. Walking duration increased significantly with distance, while no significant differences were observed between imagined and executed walking times. Bayesian equivalence tests provided evidence supporting temporal equivalence between the two modalities, and Bland Altman analyses indicated good agreement with minimal systematic bias. Strong positive correlations were found between imagined and executed durations at all distances. MIQ-3 scores were not significantly associated with differences between imagined and executed walking durations. Overall, the findings successfully replicate and extend the original results reported by Decety et al. (1989), providing additional evidence supporting temporal equivalence between motor imagery and movement execution. By combining a larger sample size with contemporary statistical approaches, the present study strengthens support for the principle of functional equivalence for highly automated and cyclic movements.

Proprioception can be assessed in several ways, including movement detection, joint position matching, and matching across sensory frames of reference. These task types make different demands, yet they are rarely compared within the same participants on the same device, and psychometric data for wrist-focused batteries are limited. This work had two aims: to compare performance across different levels of proprioceptive judgment, and to establish the within-day test-retest reliability of each. We evaluated three robotic wrist tasks spanning judgments within a single reference frame and across reference frames: joint detection threshold (JDT), same-frame joint-to-joint matching (J-to-J), and cross-frame joint-to-visual matching (J-to-V). Methods. Twenty neurotypical adults completed two identical sessions on the same day, separated by at least two hours, using a single-degree-of-freedom wrist robot. Outcomes were the kinematic detection threshold (degrees) for JDT and the mean absolute matching error (degrees) for J-to-J and J-to-V. Relative reliability was quantified with ICC (2,1) and 95% confidence intervals. Absolute reliability was quantified with the standard error of measurement (SEM) and the smallest detectable change at 95% confidence (SDC 95). Learning effects and differences across task levels were evaluated with paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results. ICC (2,1) was 0.959 [95% CI: 0.900 to 0.980] for JDT, 0.837 [0.640 to 0.930] for J-to-J, and 0.769 [0.500 to 0.900] for J-to-V. The %SEM ranged from 11.9% (J-to-J) to 15.6% (J-to-V). SDC95 was 0.85, 1.71, and 3.54 degrees for JDT, J-to-J, and J-to-V, respectively. A small but significant practice effect was observed for JDT, but this was below the SDC95, and no learning effect was observed for J-to-J or J-to-V. We also observed that the absolute error increased monotonically across task levels, with all pairwise comparisons (JDT < J-to-J < J-to-V; all p < 0.01). Conclusions. All three tasks demonstrated good-to-excellent within-day relative reliability. Error scaled with the computational demand of each task, with the largest errors observed for the cross-frame task, which required a transformation between the visual and joint reference frames. The reported SDC95 values provide task-specific thresholds for distinguishing measurement noise from true change in future intervention studies. Inter-day reliability and validation in clinical populations are the next steps.

[Purpose] By pairing repeated peripheral muscle fatigue induction with a functional and ADL-based assessment, this study tests whether hand muscle fatigue alone is sufficient to im pair fine motor performance in healthy adults performing ADL-inspired tasks. [Participants and Methods] Thirty healthy male and female university students performed 11 tasks twice, once in the pre-fatigue condition and once in the post-fatigue condition. The performance of each task was graded on a 0-4 scale. The score and the time to finish the task (TTFT) were recorded twice, for both the pre- and post-fatigue phases. Maximum force gen eration (MFG) of each participant's grip was recorded prior to the tasks in the pre-fatigue phase and again in the fatigue condition after performing the fatigue protocol. [Results] Muscle fatigue did not have a significant effect on the fine motor performance of the thirty participants, neither (TTFT) nor the scores of each task (p > 0.05) (r=0.08). In contrast, hand muscle fatigue led to a significant decrease in the mean (MFG) for both males and females (p<0.01). [Conclusion] Hand muscle fatigue led to a significant decrease in the mean grip MFG for both sexes. However, this reduction did not translate into impaired fine motor performance during ADL-like tasks. Consequently, under muscle fatigue, hand grip changes during fine tasks tested are rare and have minor to no impact on hand performance. This study suggests that acute peripheral muscle fatigue can coexist with preserved fine motor performance in healthy populations.

Motor imagery and overt action are proposed to share common planning mechanisms while relying on distinct processes during movement performance. To investigate how repetition affects physical and imagined movements, participants physically or mentally drew paths while avoiding barriers. The barrier orientations were either repeated or different across consecutive trials, and the modality (execution or imagery) of the trials either changed or remained the same for two consecutive trials. Reaction time and movement time were analysed as measures of movement planning and task performance, respectively. Imagined movements produced longer reaction times and movement times than physical movements. Repetition of orientation reduced reaction times in both physical and imagined trials, indicating that trajectory repetition facilitated movement preparation. In contrast, previous trial type influenced reaction times only for physical movements, which were only initiated faster when preceded by another physical trial. Different effects emerged for movement time. Physical movements were faster when the same trajectory was repeated no matter the previous trial type, whereas imagined movements were unaffected by orientation and instead showed shorter durations when preceded by another imagined trial. The findings indicate that physical and imagined movements rely on more similar trajectory representations during the planning stage, but diverge during task performance. While physical movements appear to benefit from the persistence of previously generated movement trajectories, imagined trials seems more influenced by modality-specific cognitive processes. These results provide behavioural support for the Motor-Cognitive model and contribute to understanding how movement repetition influences overt and imagined actions.

In the current experiment, we compared reported perceptual awareness of the visuomotor rotation to motor awareness of changes in reaches established using the process dissociation procedure and drawing task following visuomotor adaptation to a large (50 degrees; R50 group) or a small (30 degrees; R30 group) cursor rotation. Results revealed that perceptual and motor awareness did not differ in magnitude for the R50 group and were significantly correlated. In contrast, while the R30 group perceptually reported being aware of the visuomotor rotation, motor awareness was significantly less and responses were not significantly correlated across tasks. Overall, results suggest that perceptual and motor tasks assess different processes underlying visuomotor adaptation to a small cursor rotation, such that perceptual awareness of the visuomotor rotation is not reflected in reaching performance on tasks assessing motor awareness.

While movement variability is a natural element of human expression, in sign languages it may affect mutual understanding, learning, and potential overuse injury. Sign language variability is not well-understood in part because quantitative analytical methods are yet to be clearly defined. Hence the aim of this study was to assess intra-subject reliability across repeated sessions for three signers, to identify features sensitive to experience-related differences in motor control consistency, and to establish movement consistency metrics for treating sign language kinematic differences as linguistically meaningful. Three signers were assigned to three different proficiency levels of sign language: Deaf (D), proficient (P), and student (S). Sign production variables were evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and coefficients of variation(CVs).Most kinematic features showed good to excellent ICCs such as duration, path length, signing space volume, and average and peak velocity. Some EMG features such as mean forearm amplitudes and co-contraction also showed good to excellent ICCs. These data can be used to improve the scientific investigation of sign languages, improve educational resources, and establish baseline thresholds to inform ergonomic or scheduling guidelines for interpreters.

Kinaesthetic motor imagery (kMI) is widely used in sport to enhance motor performance by engaging cortical sensorimotor networks. Neurofeedback may further support kMI, but the optimal neural target to reinforce remains unclear. Maximal sensorimotor event-related desynchronisation (SMR-ERD) represents a relevant target as it may index sensorimotor cortex engagement, yet sport expertise has been associated with reduced SMR-ERD, potentially reflecting neural efficiency. The optimal neurofeedback target may therefore depend on sport expertise, movement expertise, and individual kMI ability. This study examined how these factors influence sensorimotor activity during kMI. We compared 17 basketball players (Experts) and 16 individuals without formal basketball training (Novices). kMI ability and frequency of use were assessed using questionnaires, while SMR-ERD was quantified using electroencephalography (EEG) during kMI. Participants imagined either a basketball-specific movement (Free throw), for which only Experts had extensive experience, or a generic movement (Box lifting), familiar to both groups. Experts reported greater kMI ability and more frequent kMI use than Novices. Only Experts exhibited significant and sustained SMR-ERD during kMI. Moreover, SMR-ERD was stronger in Experts than Novices specifically during Free throw kMI, corresponding to their movement of expertise. Nonetheless, within the Expert group, higher kMI ability was associated with reduced SMR-ERD. These findings suggest that sport expertise initially enhances voluntary recruitment of sensorimotor networks during kMI, whereas greater kMI ability may subsequently promote neural efficiency, resulting in reduced overall sensorimotor cortical activation. These results highlight the need to tailor kMI-based neurofeedback training to users' sport expertise and kMI ability levels.

Cybersickness in virtual reality (VR) arises from conflicts between sensory signals, yet susceptibility varies considerably across individuals. Previous work in this cohort demonstrated that vestibulomotor responses during postural control are associated with cybersickness susceptibility. Here, we examined whether perceptual weighting of gravity, visual, and body cues used to estimate upright orientation is similarly associated with cybersickness and related to previously reported vestibulomotor measures. Thirty-eight healthy young adults (21 females, 17 males) completed a standing VR rollercoaster task while receiving continuous stochastic electrical vestibular stimulation (0-25 Hz, {+/-}4.5 mA). In the current analysis, perceptual cue weights were quantified before and after VR using the Oriented Character Recognition Task. Cybersickness was assessed using the Fast Motion Sickness Scale (FMS), and participants were classified as non-sick (FMS < 5), medium-sick (FMS [&ge;] 5), or high-sick (terminated the VR exposure early due to intolerance). Before VR, non-sick participants exhibited greater gravity weighting (36% vs. 25%) than high-sick participants, whereas high-sick participants showed a non-significant trend toward greater visual weighting (30% vs. 18%). Perceptual cue weights changed minimally following VR, and the magnitude of perceptual reweighting was not associated with sickness severity. Vestibulomotor measures were not correlated with perceptual gravity weighting, and postural sway during VR was not associated with visual weighting. These findings suggest that greater baseline perceptual gravity weighting, rather than short-term perceptual reweighting, is associated with reduced cybersickness susceptibility. The dissociation between perceptual and vestibulomotor measures suggests that orientation perception and postural control reflect partially distinct multisensory integration processes. New and NoteworthyThis study demonstrates that baseline perceptual gravity weighting is associated with susceptibility to cybersickness during virtual reality exposure with concurrent electrical vestibular stimulation. Greater reliance on gravity cues was associated with reduced susceptibility, whereas visual weighting showed a similar but non-significant trend and perceptual reweighting changed minimally following exposure. Perceptual measures were dissociable from vestibulomotor responses, suggesting that orientation perception and postural control reflect partially distinct multisensory integration processes.

Body ownership over an artificial body can alter perceptual and autonomic responses, but its influence on online postural control remains less understood. We investigated whether ownership-related body-avatar correspondence modulates postural responses to an unexpected change in avatar posture. Thirty-six healthy male participants were randomly assigned to an Embodiment condition, in which body-avatar correspondence was maintained, or a Disruption condition, in which the avatar's arm temporarily moved independently of the participant before the critical event. During a standing virtual-reality session with synchronous visuotactile stimulation, the avatar unexpectedly leaned forward. We introduced Avatar-Induced Postural Response (AIPR), an event-related index of anterior-posterior center-of-pressure displacement following the avatar's movement. Ownership-related questionnaire ratings were higher in the Embodiment condition, whereas self-location-related ratings did not differ between conditions. AIPR was greater in the Embodiment condition and was greater than zero only in this condition. AIPR was also positively correlated with skin conductance responses in the Embodiment condition, but was not associated with questionnaire ratings. These findings suggest that an unexpected change in avatar posture can influence the participant's own postural regulation when ownership-related body-avatar correspondence is maintained. AIPR may provide a complementary behavioral index of a postural-control component of avatar embodiment not fully reflected in explicit subjective reports.

Research on impression evaluation from whole-body movements has traditionally focused on the relationships between emotional perception or aesthetic evaluation and movement patterns characterized by local kinematic features and inter-limb coordination. However, because observers perceive the entire body simultaneously when evaluating emotions or aesthetics in real-world viewing situations, impressions derived from whole-body movements should also be investigated. This requires a low-dimensional representation that summarizes whole-body information in an interpretable manner. In the present study, we evaluated whether the state space generated by multidimensional scaling (MDS) provides a valid representation for summarizing whole-body movement. Specifically, using exercises from Radio Calisthenics No. 1, we examined whether distances between points in the MDS state space primarily reflected exercise category rather than individual differences. The results showed that distances in the state space reflected exercise category more strongly than performer identity, suggesting that MDS captures similarities among postures of the same exercise. However, the patterns of distances between conditions varied across exercise categories. These findings suggest that MDS-based state-space representations provide a valid and interpretable approach for summarizing whole-body movements. Nevertheless, further validation using a wider variety of whole-body movements and a more diverse participant population is required.

Conventional transfemoral amputation disrupts native neuromuscular pathways, limiting prosthetic joint control, sensory feedback, and the perception of the prosthesis as part of the body. To ameliorate these pathologies, we restored the agonist-antagonist relationship of residual muscles in two individuals with above-knee amputation through an interventional surgical revision. Participants trained with a bionic knee prosthesis before and after the surgical revision while generating neuromuscular, cortical, functional, and affective data. Both individuals demonstrated improvements after the revision that could not readily be attributed to training effects, including: 1) increased proprioceptive afferents and stronger activation in cortical regions associated with sensorimotor integration of their missing joints, 2) improved control of the bionic knee during functional tasks including sit-to-stand and stair ascent, and 3) generally greater prosthesis embodiment, proprioception, and phantom limb definition as assessed through questionnaires and interviews. In contrast, training outcomes were more participant-specific and more variably correlated with amount of exposure, especially before the revision. These pilot findings suggest that revisional augmentation of residual neuromuscular tissues to restore agonist-antagonist dynamics may promote sensorimotor coherence and enhance both functional and perceptual integration with a bionic prosthesis, and remaining participant-specific heterogeneities may be attributable to inter-individual difference in residual limbs neuromuscular system, amputation history, and personal beliefs about prosthesis usage.

Introduction: Approximately 40-80% of individuals post-stroke fail to use their paretic arm despite sufficient capacity, a phenomenon known as arm nonuse. This behavior arises from an interaction between cognitive and motor factors, necessitating evaluation approaches that capture the impact of complex task demands on arm nonuse. However, existing measures require specialized equipment, extensive setup, or prolonged monitoring, limiting their clinical feasibility. To address this gap, this study evaluated the reliability, validity, and usability of a novel virtual reality-based arm nonuse (VR-NonUse) tool designed to measure arm nonuse during naturalistic reaching under varying cognitive and motor demands. Methods: Fifty-one individuals with stroke and 23 controls completed the VR-NonUse assessment across three conditions varying in cognitive and motor demand. Usability and tolerability were evaluated. Concurrent validity was examined by assessing associations between paretic arm nonuse on the VR-NonUse tool and established nonuse assessments. Discriminant validity was evaluated by comparing these associations with a motor impairment measure. Construct validity was examined by determining the effects of cognitive and motor demand on arm use. Results: The VR-NonUse tool was usable and well-tolerated. Paretic arm nonuse on the VR-NonUse tool was associated with established nonuse measures, and more strongly related to nonuse than to motor impairment, supporting concurrent and discriminant validity. Higher cognitive demand reduced paretic arm use, supporting construct validity. A brief cognitively demanding condition yielded a robust index of nonuse. Discussion: The VR-NonUse tool is a reliable, valid, and practical assessment of arm nonuse in chronic stroke.

Background and objective: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) generally experience more sedentary lifestyles than neurotypical peers. Powered overground exoskeletons offer stable and assisted stepping that have been shown to lead to functional and exercise-linked participation opportunities. Our aim was to explore physiotherapy team experiences, perceived benefits and challenges when using an overground lower-limb exoskeleton in physiotherapy sessions with minimally ambulatory children with CP. Methods: Qualitative descriptive study within a pre/post feasibility trial involving 10 children with CP (GMFCS Level IV, 4 to 6 years) who received lower limb exoskeleton-based physiotherapy twice weekly over six weeks in school or outpatient setting. Physiotherapist (PT, n=5) and physiotherapy assistant (PTA, n=4) intervention team dyads were interviewed following completion of the exoskeleton intervention with their assigned child. Semi-structured interviews were conducted over Zoom. Coding of interview transcripts was followed by inductive thematic analysis. Results: There were 10 PT/PTA dyad interviews linked specifically to 10 children's intervention experiences in the exoskeleton study. Three themes were developed: 1) exoskeleton-based sessions provided additional exercise/gross motor options and may be a valuable adjunct to conventional therapy; 2) exoskeleton-based sessions were enjoyable, supporting enhanced inclusion and autonomy; 3) exoskeleton-based physiotherapy requires new clinical skills, added resources and individualized goal-based thinking. Therapists described exoskeleton-based therapy as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, conventional physiotherapy, since it addresses only a subset of motor goals. Therapists identified staffing, training, environmental accessibility, and equitable resource allocation as important considerations for clinical implementation. This study provides PT/PTA perspectives on their first use of an overground exoskeleton across school and outpatient settings with children with CP. Findings highlight the perceived value and logistical considerations of lower-limb exoskeleton use within physiotherapy sessions with minimally ambulatory children with CP. The findings were mapped onto the seven facets of the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability for new interventions and may inform implementation planning. Transferability to other settings should be considered in light of differences in resources, funding structures, and organizational contexts. Future research exploring ethical considerations, service delivery models, and clinical protocols is needed to support responsible integration into therapy settings across diverse clinical contexts.

Objective: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the feasibility of a multi-channel distributed wearable ultrasound (D-WUS) system capable of simultaneously probing dynamic muscle activity across multiple anatomical sites to assess neuromuscular coordination during physical activity. Methods: Twenty NCAA Division I women athletes (8 with prior knee injury) performed countermovement jumps (CMJs) on dual force plates while wearing a four-channel D-WUS system targeting the vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis oblique (VMO) in both limbs. Real-time M-mode ultrasound data were processed using a composite factorization approach integrating nonnegative matrix factorization and principal component analysis (CF-PCA) to extract dominant muscle-contraction patterns. Correlation and timing metrics between VL and VMO were compared across injury status. Results: CMJ performance metrics (jump height, RSImod) did not differ between groups (p > 0.05). However, D-WUS revealed significant differences in muscle coordination in the right limb: VL-VMO correlation (p = 0.029) and timing symmetry (p = 0.019) were reduced in participants with prior knee injury; left-limb differences were not significant. Right-limb timing symmetry was negatively correlated with SMFA score (rho = -0.48, p = 0.033). Functional survey scores (SMFA) also differed significantly (p = 0.001), while VISA-P scores did not. Conclusion: These preliminary findings provide feasibility-level evidence that distributed wearable ultrasound can detect limb-specific neuromuscular coordination differences not reflected in force-plate biomechanics, motivating larger prospective studies to establish reliability and clinical utility. Significance: With further validation, this approach may offer a scalable, objective means of monitoring muscle contraction during rehabilitation.

BackgroundTrunk flexor and extensor measurement tools are useful for measuring progress throughout the identification, treatment and management of spinal pathologies. Handheld dynamometry is popular amongst clinicians due to its convenience. However, poor standardisation of the testing position can lead to suboptimal intra-rater reliability, which consequently reduces the validity of the results. The VALD ForceFrame Strength Testing System is a portable and standardized hybrid strength-assessment system that quantifies strength and power outputs. ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the test-retest reliability of isometric trunk flexion and extension strength using the ForceFrame testing technology. MethodsA total of 29 healthy participants undertook two testing sessions, each requiring them to perform maximal isometric trunk flexion and extension using the ForceFrame. Test re-test reliability was assessed using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), and the standard error of measure (SEM) was used to calculate the minimum detectable change. ResultsExcellent reliability was observed for both trunk flexion (ICC 0.92; 95% CI 0.83-0.96) and extension (ICC 0.93; 95% CI 0.86-0.97) tests, and the minimum detectable changes observed were 71.35N and 101.20N, respectively. ConclusionsThe results from this study suggest that the VALD force frame offers clinicians a reliable method of assessing change in trunk flexor and extensor strength.

Physiological mirror activity (pMA) is the increase in involuntary muscle activity observed on the contralateral side during unilateral voluntary movement in neurologically healthy participants. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the relationship between pMA and corticomuscular coherence (CMC) during finger dexterity tasks in young and older adults. Thirty-one right-handed young adults and 24 older adults performed a left-hand finger dexterity task. Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals were recorded from C3 and C4, and electromyogram (EMG) signals were collected from bilateral finger flexors and extensors. pMA was quantified as the change in right-hand EMG from rest to task. Gamma-band CMC was calculated from task-related EEG-EMG pairs, and its association with pMA was analyzed. In young adults, greater pMA was associated with lower CMC (C3- and C4-right flexors), whereas in older adults, greater pMA was associated with higher CMC (C3-left flexor). Young adults may suppress pMA emergence by appropriately monitoring and inhibiting activity, in the hand not performing the task. Conversely, in older adults, the mobilization of the ipsilateral motor cortex may have contributed to pMA emergence. This study suggests that the neuromuscular mechanisms involved in pMA during finger dexterity tasks differ between young and older adults.

Preventing object slippage requires the central nervous system to control and coordinate the muscle groups while adapting to the variations in the slip characteristics. Our study investigates how slip characteristics, such as slip direction, slip distance, and slip speed, affect the modulation of muscle synergies as a manifestation of object slippage. Our results reveal that there are shared synergies existing in the upward and downward slip emulation, and that these shared synergies are dependent on slip characteristics. However, there were no specific synergies found to exist in the upward and downward slip conditions. Our results also indicate the existence of combined synergies, as the motor modules in the upward slip direction were found to have shared synergies with multiple motor modules in the downward slip direction. We also observed that the number of shared synergies varied depending on the slip distance and slip speed. Together, these findings suggest that the CNS flexibly reconfigures a limited set of muscle synergies to accommodate varying slip dynamics, balancing control stability with adaptability.

Background: Safely walking through complex environments requires the use of visual information to plan and regulate steps, while managing competing cognitive demands. Age-related changes in visual control of gait and executive function may contribute to unsafe stepping behaviour, particularly under cognitive load. Route previewing may support visual motor planning, but its effects under dual task conditions in older adults are not well understood. Research Question: Does cognitive dual tasking influence gait and gaze behaviour during adaptive walking in older adults, and does previewing the walking route before gait initiation mitigate these effects? Methods: Thirty nine community dwelling older adults (Mage=73.4 years, SD=8.1; 14 male) completed four adaptive walking conditions, combining single and dual-task walking with and without previewing. Per condition, participants completed six trials across different 8-m long coloured walking routes. Gait characteristics were assessed using an instrumented walkway and video-analysis, while gaze behaviour was recorded using mobile eye tracking. Cognitive load was manipulated using a serial subtraction task. Gait and gaze outcomes were evaluated using linear mixed effects models. Results: Dual task performance significantly increased stepping errors, cross-steps, and double limb support, while reducing stride length (p < .001). It also significantly increased the number and duration of task irrelevant fixations (p < .001). After previewing, participants exhibited more efficient gaze behaviour, as evidenced by looking further ahead (larger forward gaze transitions) and fewer irrelevant gaze fixations (p < .002). Significant Task-by-Preview interactions revealed that previewing mitigated the negative effects of dual-tasking on stepping errors and cross steps (p < .001). Significance: Route previewing prior to gait initiation attenuates negative effects of cognitive load on adaptive gait in older adults, likely by supporting visual motor planning. These findings highlight the potential value of simple visual planning interventions for improving adaptive gait in older adults.