Gait Speed as an Objective Measure
Objective[edit | edit source]
The speed at which a person walks can be influenced by a number of factors, both voluntary and involuntary, and marks a functional skill that underpins a majority of the tasks that are essential to a person’s ability to function on a daily basis. Given this, walking speed, which is more commonly referred to as gait speed, is a metric that is extremely valuable for clinician when examining aspects of functional mobility in their patients. Additionally, given its ability to be influenced by aspects of multiple body systems, gait speed is sometimes used a predictor of overall health and function in older adults.[1]
Gait speed has been considered by some to be a "Vital Sign" like blood pressure and hearth rate, and it's predictive ability has been linked with a myriad of common outcomes including hospitalization, fall risk, cognitive decline, disability, and mortality.[2]
The objective of this page is to provide an overview of the gait speed, methods of measurements, and ways this metric can be used as a predictor of various outcomes in older adults.
Intended Population[edit | edit source]
Gait speed can be measured in pretty much any population, but it is most commonly used as a predictive measure in the older adult population.[2]
Method of Use[edit | edit source]
Reference[edit | edit source]
Evidence[edit | edit source]
Reliability[edit | edit source]
Validity[edit | edit source]
Responsiveness[edit | edit source]
Miscellaneous
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Links[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Nancye MP, Suzanne SK, and Kerenaftali K, Gait Speed as a Measure in Geriatric Assessment in Clinical Settings: A Systematic Review, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A 2013; 68(1): 39–46.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mehmet H, Robinson SR, Yang AWH. Assessment of Gait Speed in Older Adults. J Geriatr Phys Ther 2020; 43(1):42-52.
