Factors affecting walking speed of elderly people

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Biomechanics
• Public Health

Background:

• Walking speed is a key indicator of mobility and health in older adults.
• Independent living in the elderly is closely associated with maintaining adequate walking speed.
• Factors influencing walking speed require further investigation to support healthy aging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify variables associated with walking speed in independently living elderly men and women.
• To determine the predictive power of specific factors on walking speed variance in different sexes.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 67 women and 58 men aged 65-90 years.
• Data collection included walking speed, calf strength, physical activity levels (step-score), leisure activity, anthropometrics, and health status.
• Multiple regression analysis was employed to identify significant predictors of walking speed.

Main Results:

• In men, walking speed correlated positively with calf strength, step-score, active leisure, height, and weight; negatively with age and health problems.
• In women, associations were similar, excluding weight, with leg pain negatively impacting speed.
• Regression models indicated height, calf strength, and health problems explained 44% of variance in men's walking speed; height, calf strength, step-score, and leg pain explained 42% in women's.

Conclusions:

• Calf strength, physical activity, and health status are crucial determinants of walking speed in the elderly.
• Targeted interventions focusing on these factors may help maintain or improve walking speed and mobility in older populations.
• Sex-specific factors, such as leg pain in women, also play a significant role and warrant attention.