Original StudyModifiable Risk Factors for New-Onset Slow Gait in Older Adults
Section snippets
Study Population
In 1992, the HRS enrolled a cohort of adults born between 1931 and 1941 (between ages 51 and 61) residing in households, and their spouses.14 The HRS later merged with additional cohorts to become nationally representative of the community-dwelling US population aged 51 years and older in 1998.15 The HRS is sponsored by the National Institute of Aging (U01AG009740) and conducted by the University of Michigan. Further details of HRS are available in previous publications13, 14, 15, 16 and study
Incidence
Of the 3958 participants age 65 and older, with timed walks in 2008, 691 (17%) had slow gait at baseline. Another 389 died and 82 were institutionalized before 2012. Of the remaining 2796 individuals, 2306 (82%) repeated timed walks in 2012. Only 102 participants (4.4%) used a walking aid during the walk. Reasons for missing walks in 2012 included interviews that were incomplete or administered over the telephone (n = 130), loss to follow-up (n = 40), refusal (n = 174), safety concerns
Discussion
Our findings show that 7 potentially modifiable risk factors predict incident slow gait at 4 years in a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older individuals: physical inactivity, cognitive impairment, muscle weakness, pain, obesity, vision, and falls. The disablement model posits that risk factors lead to impairments such as slow gait, which if unchecked lead to functional limitations and eventually, mobility disability. Hence, identifying risk factors and targeting
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Cited by (27)
Risk factors for decline in gait speed during walking while talking in older adults
2022, Gait and PosturePotentially modifiable risk factors for slow gait in community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review
2021, Ageing Research ReviewsCitation Excerpt :In terms of specific pain sites, Kirkness and Ren (2015) found that knee pain significantly increased the odds of slow gait cross-sectionally (OR = 1.43; 95 % CI = 1.02–2.01) along with back pain (OR = 1.45; 95 % CI = 1.05–2.01). Using longitudinal designs, Verghese et al. (2016) found that frequent experience of pain was significantly associated with slow gait (RR = 1.45; 95 % CI = 1.11–1.89), while Kim et al. (2015) reported a non-significant association for pain over time (OR = 0.76; 95 % CI = 0.45–1.31). Kim et al. (2015) also found that knee pain significantly increased the odds of slow gait longitudinally (OR = 1.73; 95 % CI = 1.08–2.76 respectively), and Simonsick et al. (2018a) reported non-significant longitudinal associations for lower limb and joint pain.
A comparison of turn and straight walking phases as predictors of incident falls
2020, Gait and PostureHome-Based Gait Speed Assessment: Normative Data and Racial/Ethnic Correlates Among Older Adults
2019, Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationNeurologic examination in the elderly
2019, Handbook of Clinical NeurologyGait and dementia
2019, Handbook of Clinical NeurologyCitation Excerpt :Arthritis, joint deformities, and other biomechanical changes also contribute to shortened strides and decreased velocity with age (Sudarsky, 1990). In the Health and Retirement study cohort, a nationally representative sample of US older adults, modifiable risk factors associated with incidence of slow gait velocity over 4 years of follow-up were physical inactivity, muscle weakness, pain, low vision, prior falls, obesity, and cognitive impairment (Verghese et al., 2016). Together, these seven risk factors accounted for 77% of the population developing incident slow gait in the Health and Retirement study (Verghese et al., 2016).
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.