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. 2011 May;92(5):844-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2010.12.030.

Relationship of clinic-based gait speed measurement to limitations in community-based activities in older adults

Joe Verghese  1 , Cuiling Wang, Roee Holtzer
Affiliations

Relationship of clinic-based gait speed measurement to limitations in community-based activities in older adults

Joe Verghese et al. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2011 May.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the ability of clinic-based assessments of gait speed to capture limitations in a broad range of home- and community-based activities.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Community-based aging cohort study.

Participants: Community-residing subjects (N=655; 61% women; age ≥70y; mean, 80.4y).

Interventions: None.

Main outcome measures: Limitations on 3 gait-related activities of daily living (walking inside home, climbing up and down stairs) and 6 motor-based but gait-independent activities (bathing, dressing, getting up from a chair, toileting, shopping, using public transportation).

Results: Gait speed was associated with the presence of self-reported difficulty for all 3 home-based activities that were directly gait related and 5 of 6 motor-based activities. Gait speed of 1m/s or less was associated with increased risk for limitations on at least 1 of the 9 selected activities (odds ratio, 3.21; 95% confidence interval, 2.24-4.58; P<.001).

Conclusions: Gait speed measured in clinical settings has ecologic validity as a clinical marker of functional status in older adults for use in clinical and research settings.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Box plot showing gait speed values (cm/s) for categories of activity limitation. The line in the middle of the box represents the median value. The ends of the box represent the 25th and 75th quartile values.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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