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Gait Speed Reference Values for Adults Aged 90 and Older: The 90+ Study
Katherine A Colcord1, Claudia H Kawas2, María M Corrada3
1Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine.
Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy (2001)
|February 3, 2023
Summary
This study establishes gait speed reference values for adults aged 90 and older, revealing slower speeds than in younger older adults. These findings are crucial for interpreting clinical measures in the oldest-old population.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Biomedical Geriatrics
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Slow gait speed is linked to adverse outcomes in older adults.
- Limited data exists for gait speed in adults aged 90 years and older (the "oldest old").
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish reference values for gait speed in men and women aged 90 years and older.
- To provide age- and sex-specific data for this understudied demographic.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the population-based 90+ Study, including ambulatory participants evaluated in person.
- Assessed gait speed using the 4-meter walk test.
- Calculated means, standard deviations, and percentiles stratified by age, sex, and assistive device use.
Main Results:
- The 797 participants had a mean age of 93.5 years, with 73.9% women.
- Overall mean gait speed was 0.58 m/s, with men (0.65 m/s) faster than women (0.55 m/s).
- Gait speed was slower in those using assistive devices (0.38 m/s) and decreased with increasing age; speeds were slower than in adults younger than 90.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first gait speed reference values specifically for adults aged 90 years and older.
- Establishing age-appropriate reference values is critical for accurate clinical interpretation in the oldest-old.
- Findings highlight slower gait speeds in the oldest-old compared to younger elderly populations.
