Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 5, 2026
Training Persons with Spinal Cord Injury to Ambulate Using a Powered Exoskeleton
Published on: June 16, 2016
INTERSECTING SELF-REPORTED MOBILITY AND GAIT SPEED TO CREATEA MULTI-DIMENSIONAL MEASURE OF AMBULATION: THE
1Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh ; Center for Aging and Population Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Background:
Assessing mobility through readily available and affordable protocols may help advance public health by providing early detection and implementing intervention therapies aimed at mitigating the progression from physiological vitality to disability at older ages. Until now, little attention has been given to how self-reported mobility (SRM) and gait speed can be combined in a categorization scheme.
Objectives:
The specific aim of this report is to introduce the Ambulation Speed-Endurance (ASE) Typology to the literature-a classification system that intersects SRM and gait speed to create a multi-dimensional measure of ambulation.
Design:
Cross-sectional.
Setting:
Community-dwelling older adults in the United States.
Participants:
Evidence is provided from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) that community-dwelling older adults (n=5,403) may be found in each of the ASE Typologies. The discussion is complimented by investigating the cross-sectional predictors of a "Discrepancy Score" (measure of gap between speed and endurance) amongst those with gait speeds < 0.99 m/sec (n=4,521).
Results:
Multivariable linear regression results indicate level of severity in speed-endurance discrepancy is higher amongst: non-Latino-Blacks (β=0.48); Latinos (β=0.42); older ages; and lower educated. Models also show that severity in speed-endurance discrepancy is lower amongst: females (β=-0.38); those with higher body mass index; with more chronic health conditions; and poorer self-rated health.
Conclusion:
Research should continue to investigate how to optimize SRM.
