Nordic walking (NW) is a popular physical activity used to manage chronic diseases and maintain overall health and fitness status. This study aimed to compare NW to ordinary walking (W) with regard to pole length and to identify kinematic differences associated with different poles’ length (55%, 65% and 75% of the subject’s height, respectively). Twelve male volunteers (21.1 ± 0.7 years; 1.74 ± 0.05 m; 68.9 ± 6.1 kg) were tested in four conditions (W, NW55, NW65 and NW75) at three different speeds (4-5-6 km∗h⁻¹). Each subject performed a total of twelve tests in a random order. Three-dimensional kinematics of upper and lower body were measured for both W and NW, while oxygen consumption levels (VO₂) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured only for NW trials with different poles’ length. NW showed a higher step length, lower elbow motion and higher trunk motion (p < 0.05) compared to W. Additionally, NW65 did not show any kinematic or RPE differences compared to NW55 and NW75. Only NW75 showed a higher elbow joint (p < 0.05) and lower pole (p < 0.05) range of motion compared to NW55 and a higher VO₂ (p < 0.05) compared to NW55 and NW65 at 6 km∗h⁻¹. In conclusion, the use of the poles affects the motion of the upper and lower body during gait. Poles with shorter or longer length do not produce particular changes in NW kinematics. However, increasing the length of the pole can be a smart variation in NW to increase exercise metabolic demand without significantly affecting the kinematics and the RPE.

Background/Objective: Aging is associated with both cognitive and physical decline. Some factors, such as lifestyle and environment, can significantly contribute to accelerating or slowing down the decline processes. Our study aimed to evaluate the impact of lifestyle (active vs. non-active) and environmental context (institutionalized vs. non-institutionalized) on the cognitive functioning, psychological well-being, sleep quality, and daily living skills of elderly people. Methods: Our sample consisted of 182 subjects divided into active and non-active groups (subjects who engage or not in physical and social activities, respectively; mean age in years: 67.19 vs. 68.75) and 245 subjects divided into institutionalized and non-institutionalized groups (i.e., living in a nursing home or not, respectively; mean age in years: 79.49 vs. 71.72). Participants were enrolled voluntarily and randomly in the city of L’Aquila. A battery of psychological instruments was administered to evaluate general cognitive decline, depressive symptoms, self-assessed sleep quality, and daily living skills. Results: Regarding lifestyle, the active group exhibited significantly lower levels of depression, better sleep quality, and daily living skills with respect to the non-active group. Regarding environmental context, institutionalized subjects showed higher levels of depression and reduced cognitive functioning, which were linked to reduced sleep quality and worsened daily living skills. When comparing the non-active with the institutionalized group, the latter showed higher levels of depression and reduced cognitive functioning, more sleep complaints, and reduced daily living skills. Conclusions: Our study highlights that an active lifestyle and a non-institutionalized environment, both allowing greater mobility and autonomy, are two factors that positively contribute to the mental and physical well-being of elderly individuals. Furthermore, the healthcare institution context appears to have a greater negative impact on the psycho-physical well-being of the subjects involved compared to a non-active lifestyle.