GAIT ASSESSMENT IN ELDERLY ABOVE AND BELOW 80 YEARS

Abreu D.¹, Alvarenga I.¹, Zanellato N.¹, Genovez M.¹, Magnani P.¹

¹University of São Paulo, Physical Therapy, Department of Biomechanics, Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Locomotor System, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil

Background: With the increase in life expectancy, older-old adults have participated actively in the society. Therefore, to assess how the aging process affects the gait performance of elderly in different contexts and tasks, as during street-crossing, is relevant.

Purpose: To evaluate the gait during routine activities in independent elderly and to compare the performance of elderly above and below 80 years.

Methods: Thirty autonomous and independent elderly between 60-105 years were divided into two groups: 15 younger-old (68.6 ± 2.6 years) and 15 older-old (86.3 ± 6.18 years). Gait was evaluated during three situations: usual walking, fast-pace walking and gait during road-crossing. In the usual pace, the participant was instructed to walk at a self-selected speed; in the fast-pace walking the participant was instructed to walk as fast as he could without running; and during the road-crossing, the participant was instructed to start the gait when the traffic light was green and to finish before the red light (maximum of 10 seconds). The gait was performed using an walkway system (GAITRite® Platinum 26’), measuring 800 cm in length and 90 cm in width. The gait speed and stride step length were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed by t-test unpaired student. The significance level was set at 0.05.

Results: There were significant differences between groups for both the gait speed and for the step length during usual pace (gait speed: younger-old: 1.17±12.22 m/s and older-old: 0.91±9.16 m/s; p = 0.001; step length: younger-old: 62.27 ± 8.21 cm and older-old: 51.91 ± 7.28 cm; p = 0.001), during fast-pace walking (gait speed: younger-old: 1.60 ± 32.56m/s and older-old: 1.3 ± 30.27 m/s; p = 0001; step length: younger-old: 71.42 ± 9.56 cm and older-old: 59.6 ± 10.41 cm; p = 0.01) and during road-crossing (gait speed: younger-old: 1.42 ± 28.52 m/s and older-old: 1.12±21.49 m/s; p = 0.002; step length: younger-old: 67.83 ± 09.09 cm and older-old: 55.85 ± 8.27 cm, p 0.001).

Conclusion(s): The older-old adults have different gait performance compared to the younger-old adults in the three gait situations.

Implications: It seems that even the older-old adult is capable of increase the gait speed. More studies are necessary to evaluate if the increase of gait speed is associated to increase of fall risk in this population.

Funding acknowledgements: CAPES and FAPESP Foundation (Process: 2012 / 01770-1)

Topic: Older people

Ethics approval: Committee of Ethics of the Clinical Hospital, Medicine School of Ribeirão Preto. Number 3179/2016

All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.