AGE-ASSOCIATED GAIT CHANGES IN THE ELDERLY - PATHOLOGICAL OR PHYSIOLOGICAL

Aim: To examine the role of disease-related factors and age-related ph ysiological changes in affecting gait speed and stride length in the e lderly. Subjects: 925 men and 890 women aged 70 years and above who we re ambulant, recruited by random sampling stratified according to age and sex, from all recipients of Old Age and Disability Allowance in Ho ng Kong. Design: Gait was assessed by measuring the time taken and the number of steps required to complete a 16-foot walk. Information on h ealth and functional status, cognitive function, and depressive sympto ms was collected, and anthropometric indices obtained. Factors affecti ng walking speed and stride were examined in the overall population an d also after excluding those with physical disability or diseases. Res ults: Results were analyzed separately for men and women since mean wa lking speed was slower in women, who also took a larger number of step s. Age, coexisting disease, leg or back pain, poor vision, low level o f physical activity, functional and cognitive impairment, high depress ive symptom score, and anthropometric indices were all negatively asso ciated with walking speed. Fallers also had slower speed. After exclud ing those with diseases or physical impairment, multivariate analysis showed that the only factors affecting speed were age in men, and age, height, and level of physical activity in women. Age and height were factors associated with stride length in men, and height only for wome n. Conclusion: Both disease-related factors as well as age-related phy siological changes contribute to the decline in walking speed and stri de length.