The slowing down phenomenon: What is the age of major gait velocity decline?

Decreased gait velocity is associated with limited mobility, community participation, cognitive decline, and increased risk of falls in elderly women. Therefore, early detection of reduced gait velocity allows proper monitoring and treatment to prevent or delay the associated limitations. This study determined the age of major gait velocity decline in a large sample of women. The participants were 653 healthy women, aged 18-89 years, who were divided in five age groups: ≤26, 36-45, 46-60, 61-70 and ≥71 years. Their spatiotemporal gait parameters were collected using the GAITRite^® computerized carpet. Two piecewise regression models - known and estimated breakpoint - with age as the independent variable and gait velocity as the dependent variable were used to determine the age of major gait velocity decline. ANOVAs were performed to identify differences in gait spatiotemporal variables between the five age groups with α = 0.05. The estimated age of major gait velocity decline was 71 years. Age significantly predicted gait velocity (p < 0.0001), explaining 23% of its variability. Gait velocity decline starts at 65 years and becomes more pronounced at 71 years. The estimated model showed that an increase of one year in age decreases gait velocity on average by 0.31 cm/s. If age is>71 years, velocity will decrease on average by 1.75 cm/s per year. The average velocity of women over the age of 71 years was 115.4 cm/s, which as 7.8% less than a decade earlier. The five age groups demonstrated differences in gait velocity, step length, stance, swing, step, and double support time. This is the first study conducted in a large sample of women to have determined 71 years as the age of major gait decline. Identifying the age of gait velocity decline of healthy women could allow timely interventions to slow the general decline associated with lower gait velocities, such as falls, lower mobility, frailty, and death. Therefore, women near and above 71 years of age should be closely monitored due to the adverse health effects associated with reduced gait velocity.