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Words matter: instructions dictate "self-selected" walking speed in young adults
Sarah A Brinkerhoff1, William M Murrah1, Zach Hutchison1
1Auburn University School of Kinesiology, 301 Wire Road, Auburn, AL, 36849, United States.
Background:
Variability in gait speed is influenced by age and health status. However, no study has investigated the effects of different instructions on gait speed.
Research Question:
This study investigated how walking prompts contributed to variability in gait speed.
Methods:
Participants walked on a pressurized walkway. Gait speed variability was assessed using multilevel modeling.
Results:
61% of the variance in gait speed was due to instruction, while 14% was due to individual differences.
Significance:
Reference values for gait speed across a number of prompts will be highly useful for assessing gait performance in young adults. Further, the instruction given produces a large amount of variability in selected walking speed. This finding urges researchers to maintain consistency when delivering walking instructions.
