Gait Speed and Dynamic Stability Decline Accelerates Only in Late Life: A Cross-sectional Study in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.
Anna Lee, Tanvi Bhatt, Renae L Smith-Ray and 2 others
PMID 29406322WHAT IT FOUND
Walking speed and walking balance were similar among healthy walkers aged 65 to 84.
They declined at age 85 and older, with speed about 0.13 m/s slower and reaching 0.76 m/s, shorter steps, and fewer steps per minute.
Key findings
01Gait speed and dynamic stability did not differ significantly among the 70-74, 75-79, and 80-84 age groups compared with the 65-69 age group.
02Adults aged 85 and over had significantly lower gait speed than those aged 65-69, about 0.13 m/s slower and reaching 0.76 m/s, with shorter steps and slower step rate.
03Dynamic stability declined significantly after age 85, mainly because the speed of the body's center of mass relative to the area under the feet declined, while the position of the center of mass relative to that area did not change.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
This was a cross-sectional comparison of different people by age, not a follow-up of the same people, so it cannot show when an individual begins to decline. Participants were healthy community-dwelling walkers who could walk without a cane or walker, and people with selected disorders, selected drugs, low bone density, impaired cognition, or low functional mobility were excluded, so findings may not apply to frailer or assisted older adults. The oldest group was very small (9 participants, 5 female), so the late-life decline rests on few people. A sensitivity analysis using 3 age groups found the accelerated decline beginning at age 80, so the exact age threshold may depend on grouping and sample size. The study did not measure falls, injuries, or an intervention effect; it measured walking speed and stability only.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest. The article metadata lists NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that walking speed falls steadily through most of older adulthood. The study found no significant differences in the middle age groups compared with the youngest group, and the steep decline appeared only in the smallest oldest group.