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gait speed

also see gait evaluation Clinical significance: - normal gait speed is > ~0.9 meters/second (see gait evaluation) - gait speed < 0.56 meters/second is associated with increased risk of falls [3] - slow gait speed is a characteristic of frailty - gait speed is a predictor of survival in the elderly [1] - also predicts disability, long-term nursing home placement - better predictor than grip strength - characteristic of prefrailty - gait speed better predictor of frailty than step length or chair rise time [7] - slower gait speed at age 45 is associated with: [3] - self-reported physical limitations - faster aging, assessed by biomarkers (BMI & cardiorespiratory fitness) - accelerated facial aging (assessment of facial photographs) - smaller total brain volume, thinner meaner cortex, smaller total brain surface area [3] - orthostatic hypotension [5] Management: - individualized, supervised, exercise program

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References

  1. Studenski S, Perera S, Patel K Gait speed and survival in older adults. JAMA. 2011 Jan 5;305(1):50-8 PMID: 21205966
  2. Peel NM, Kuys SS, Klein K. Gait speed as a measure in geriatric assessment in clinical settings: a systematic review. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2013 Jan;68(1):39-46. Review. PMID: 22923430
  3. Geriatric Review Syllabus, 10th edition (GRS10) Harper GM, Lyons WL, Potter JF (eds) American Geriatrics Society, 2019
  4. LJH, Caspi A, Ambler A et al Association of Neurocognitive and Physical Function With Gait Speed in Midlife./ JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(10):e1913123. Oct 11 PMID: 31603488 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2752818 - Studenski S Gait Speed Reveals Clues to Lifelong Health. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(10):e1913112. Oct 11 PMID: 31603481 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2752811
  5. Briggs R, Donoghue OA, Carey D et al. What is the relationship between orthostatic blood pressure and spatiotemporal gait in later life? J Am Geriatr Soc 2020 Jun; 68:1286 PMID: 32170869 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jgs.16379
  6. Middleton A, Fritz SL, Lusardi M.Middleton A, Fritz SL, Lusardi M. Walking speed: the functional vital sign. J Aging Phys Act. 2015 Apr;23(2):314-22. PMID: 24812254 PMCID: PMC4254896 Free PMC article. Review.
  7. Schoon Y, Bongers K, Van Kempen J, Melis R, Olde Rikkert M. Gait speed as a test for monitoring frailty in community-dwelling older people has the highest diagnostic value compared to step length and chair rise time. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2014 Dec;50(6):693-701. Epub 2014 Jul 31. PMID: 25077426 Free article.