Rehabilitation assessment approaches and technologies to measure gaze behaviour during walking in older adults and central neurological populations: a scoping review protocol.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Falls are a frequent event among older adults and individuals with central neurological conditions. Gaze behaviour (i.e. how individuals use visual input to guide movement) plays a critical role in motor control while walking and likely contributes to fall prevention. However, existing research in this area remains fragmented. This scoping review will aim to identify how gaze behaviour is measured and utilized during gait rehabilitation among older adults and individuals with central neurological conditions. Findings will inform standardized assessment approaches and the development of interventions targeting gaze behaviour to improve walking and reduce fall risk. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review guidelines and is registered with the Open Science Framework. Studies will be included if they involve older adults (≥ 65 years) or individuals with central neurological conditions and measure gaze behaviour during walking. A comprehensive search strategy was developed in collaboration with a University Health Network Librarian and refined iteratively by the research team. Eight databases (Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, CDSR, Emcare Nursing, APA PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection, and CINAHL) were searched from inception to August 2025. Title and abstract screening will be followed by a full-text review to identify articles that meet the inclusion criteria. Data related to study/participant characteristics, methods for eye tracking, intervention, equipment, outcome measures, and key findings will be extracted. Methodological quality of studies will be assessed using the appropriate tool based on study design. Results will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist.