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Clinical Assessment of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients and Older Adults
Published on: November 7, 2014
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Higher gait speed and smaller sway area decrease the risk for decline in higher-level functional capacity among
Mariko Nakamoto1, Rei Otsuka1, Atsumu Yuki2
1Section of Longitudinal Study of Aging, National Institute for Longevity Science (NILS-LSA), National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
|August 26, 2015
Summary
Physical function, like gait speed and balance, can predict future declines in daily living abilities for middle-aged and older women. These findings highlight the importance of assessing physical function for maintaining independence.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Biomedical Science
Background:
- Maintaining higher-level functional capacity is crucial for independence in aging.
- Physical function is a key component of overall health and well-being in older adults.
- Early identification of individuals at risk for functional decline is essential for timely interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if baseline physical function measurements predict declines in higher-level functional capacity over 14 years.
- To investigate the association between specific physical function tests (grip strength, gait speed, sway area) and changes in the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence (TMIG-IC).
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study using data from the National Institute for Longevity Sciences-Longitudinal Study of Aging.
- Participants (466 men, 495 women aged 40-79) with baseline TMIG-IC scores ≥11 were followed for 14 years.
- Baseline physical function assessed via grip strength, comfortable gait speed, and sway area; functional decline defined as a ≥2-point TMIG-IC decrease.
Main Results:
- In women, slower comfortable gait speed (OR 0.68) and increased sway area (OR 1.49) predicted a decline in TMIG-IC scores.
- Grip strength did not show a significant association with TMIG-IC score decline in women.
- No physical function measures predicted TMIG-IC score decline in men.
Conclusions:
- Decreased gait speed and increased sway area may serve as early predictors of reduced higher-level functional capacity in middle-aged and elderly women.
- These physical performance indicators could aid in identifying women at risk for functional decline.
- Further research may explore targeted interventions based on these physical function markers.
