Self-Selected Walking Speed is Predictive of Daily Ambulatory Activity in Older Adults

Abstract

Daily ambulatory activity is associated with health and functional status in older adults; however, assessment requires multiple days of activity monitoring. The objective of this study was to determine the relative capabilities of self-selected walking speed (SSWS), maximal walking speed (MWS), and walking speed reserve (WSR) to provide insight into daily ambulatory activity (steps per day) in community-dwelling older adults. Sixty-seven older adults completed testing and activity monitoring (age 80.39 [6.73] years). SSWS (R2 = .51), MWS (R2 = .35), and WSR calculated as a ratio (R2 = .06) were significant predictors of daily ambulatory activity in unadjusted linear regression. Cutpoints for participants achieving < 8,000 steps/day were identified for SSWS (≤ 0.97 m/s, 44.2% sensitivity, 95.7% specificity, 10.28 +LR, 0.58 -LR) and MWS (≤ 1.39 m/s, 60.5% sensitivity, 78.3% specificity, 2.79 +LR, 0.50 -LR). SSWS may be a feasible proxy for assessing and monitoring daily ambulatory activity in older adults.

Figure 1

Scatter plots of steps per day (vertical axes) by a) self-selected walking speed (SSWS), b) maximal walking speed (MWS), c) walking speed reserve calculated as a difference (MWS – SSWS), d) walking speed reserve calculated as a ratio (MWS/SSWS)

Figure 2

Nomograms presenting post-test probabilities for “<8,000 steps per day” when individual a) below cutpoint (positive likelihood ratio) and b) above cutpoint (negative likelihood ratio). Cutpoints: 0.97 m/s for self-selected walking speed (solid line) and 1.39 m/s for maximal walking speed (dashed line)