Characteristic Patterns of Gait in the Healthy Old

Abstract

If the influences of aging processes on gait are to be understood, gerontologists must become better versed in experimental methodology appropriate to locomotion research. They must also begin to conduct experiments that move beyond mere description. Systematic research efforts that are interdisciplinary in nature and that incorporate several types of gait analyses will be needed to discover the causes of adaptations and impairments of gait in the aged. Certainly, this will not be easy to accomplish; however, we hope that the work reported here demonstrates this approach is possible and worthwhile.

Altered gait profile in subjects with peripheral arterial disease

“…A walking economy curve exists for each subject, with the self-selected preferred pace typically representing the walking speed yielding the lowest energy expenditure per meter traveled. 21 This is the most economical walking speed, and velocities above and below this point are accomplished at higher energy costs. The poorer walking economy of PAD subjects ultimately increases the physiological challenge of given ambulatory tasks performed throughout the course of the day.…”

The improvement of walking speed after cardiac rehabilitation is associated with the reduction in the metabolic cost of walking in older persons

“…First, in terms of kinematics, walking speed and metabolic demand are related to each other according to a U-shaped curve, whose central region is the region in which the metabolic cost of walking is minimized [3,5]. As our patients, according to the recommendations of the American Thoracic Society [15], performed the 6mWT over ground at their individually selected maximal speed, for each patient we were able to assess only one point of the speed-metabolic demand curve before and after the rehabilitation.…”

“…However, the preferred speed of walking tends to decline with advancing age and to walk a given distance older persons consume more metabolic energy than younger adults across all speeds [3][4][5].…”

Economy of Mobility in Older Adults

“…Some researchers reported that older adults were less economical than younger adults while walking at various speeds (8,10,16). Conversely, economy of mobility appears to be unaffected by aging for individuals who maintain higher levels of physical activity (1,15,17).…”