The influence of gait speed on the stability of walking among the elderly

doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2016.02.018

Gait & Posture

Volume 47, June 2016, Pages 31-36

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2016.02.018 Get rights and content

Highlights

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Stability of walking at various speeds was tested in elderly and young cohorts.
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The elderly increased stride length and cadence to walk at their maximum speed.
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Accelerations in walking speed did not increase instability among the elderly.
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Fast speed walking exercises can be prescribed to healthy elderly individuals.

Abstract

Walking speed is a basic factor to consider when walking exercises are prescribed as part of a training programme. Although associations between walking speed, step length and falling risk have been identified, the relationship between spontaneous walking pattern and falling risk remains unclear. The present study, therefore, examined the stability of spontaneous walking at normal, fast and slow speed among elderly (67.5 ± 3.23) and young (21.4 ± 1.31) individuals. In all, 55 participants undertook a test that involved walking on a plantar pressure platform. Foot-ground contact data were used to calculate walking speed, step length, pressure impulse along the plantar-impulse principal axis and pressure record of time series along the plantar-impulse principal axis. A forward dynamics method was used to calculate acceleration, velocity and displacement of the centre of mass in the vertical direction. The results showed that when the elderly walked at different speeds, their average step length was smaller than that observed among the young (p = 0.000), whereas their anterior/posterior variability and lateral variability had no significant difference. When walking was performed at normal or slow speed, no significant between-group difference in cadence was found. When walking at a fast speed, the elderly increased their stride length moderately and their cadence greatly (p = 0.012). In summary, the present study found no correlation between fast walking speed and instability among the elderly, which indicates that healthy elderly individuals might safely perform fast-speed walking exercises.

Introduction

Falling risk increases as individuals age. Senescence causes not only muscle atrophy but also neurological decline [1], [2], [3]. Muscle atrophy leads to shortened step length and lowered foot lift during walking, whereas neurological decline leads to slower action times and impaired coordination [4], [5]. Eventually, with age, walking speed and stability decrease and the incidence of falls increases.

Previous studies suggested that fast walking speed and short step length increase stability and reduce the incidence of falling [6], [7]. Compared with the young, the elderly typically walk at a lower speed and display a shorter step length [4]. A low walking speed has a negative effect on stability, whereas a short step length has a positive effect [8]. Therefore, the optimum walking speed and step length that individuals should choose when they exercise is an important issue to address. Among young individuals, as their walking speed increases, both their stride length and cadence increase [9], [10], [11]. This study aims to explore whether this pattern is also observed among the elderly.

Although some elements of walking are innate, it is a motor skill that is acquired and improved by training and exercise [12], [13]. Walking exercise can prevent falls. When walking is included in a training programme, the intensity of the walking prescribed is important, and walking speed can be used as an intensity index. Fast speed walking is beneficial for preventing bone loss [14]. We hypothesized that a fast walking speed among healthy elderly individuals would not cause instability.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the risks associated with performing walking exercises at different speeds among elderly individuals, such that the results could be used to develop an exercise prescription.

Section snippets

Methods

In this study, foot-ground contact (FGC) refers to the instantaneous pressure between the foot and its support surface, which is measured by a plantar pressure system. FGC data, such as the time course of the interaction were used to calculate gait parameters, such as vertical ground reaction force (VGRF), cadence, step length and walking speed, and to calculate pressure impulse and its time series. To explore the relationship between gait parameter changes and falling risk at different walking

Results

Basic gait parameters include walking speed, step length and cadence [15]. Table 1 shows that between-group differences were found in these parameters for all three walking speeds (p < 0.01). The step length among the elderly at different speeds was shorter than that from the young, and the difference was significant (p < 0.01). By contrast, at normal and slow speeds, no statistically significant difference was found in cadence between the two age groups.

When walking, the symmetry of gait

Discussion

The cadences observed in the normal gait were consistent with a study of cadence among 411 elderly individuals [21], as well as a study of 30 young participants [4], suggesting that the elderly walked slowly because of their shorter step length, not their smaller cadence. Therefore, the idea that the healthy elderly can increase their stride length moderately and their cadence greatly when walking is advisable.

Fast walking can increase stability [8], but it also requires more energy consumption

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support from the subjects. This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China: 11172073. The funding organization did not play a role in the study design, data collection, analysis or interpretation, preparation and submission of this manuscript.
Conflicts of interest: None of the authors have financial or other conflicts of interest relating to this study.

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View full text

The influence of gait speed on the stability of walking among the elderly

Highlights

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Methods

Results

Discussion

Acknowledgements

J. Neurol. Sci.

Gait Posture

J. Biomech.

Gait Posture

Gait Posture

Gait Posture

Gait Posture

J. Biomech.

J. Neurol. Sci.

Arch. Gerontol. Geriatr.

Strength conditioning in older men: skeletal muscle hypertrophy and improved function

J. Appl. Physiol.

High-intensity strength training in nonagenarians: effects on skeletal muscle

JAMA