Richard W Bohannon1, A Williams Andrews. 1. Program in Physical Therapy, Department of Kinesiology, Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268-2101, USA. richard.bohannon@uconn.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Walking speed has implications for community functioning and is predictive of important outcomes. Determining whether an individual's walking speed is limited requires normal values for comparison. OBJECTIVES: To use meta-analysis to describe normal gait speed for healthy individuals within age and gender strata. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Scopus, Science Citation Index and articles identified by hand searches. STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA: Inclusion required that the gait speed of apparently healthy adults was documented as they walked at a normal pace over a course of 3 to 30 m. Summary data were excluded unless obtained from at least 10 participants within a gender and decade stratum. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: The two authors independently reviewed articles and extracted data. Accuracy was confirmed by the other author. Data were grouped within gender and decade strata. A meta-analysis macro was used to consolidate data by strata and to determine homogeneity. RESULTS: Forty-one articles contributed data to the analysis. Combined, they provided data from 23111 subjects. The gait speed was homogeneous within strata and ranged from a mean of 143.4 cm/second for men aged 40 to 49 years to a mean of 94.3 cm/second for women aged 80 to 99 years. LIMITATIONS: The data presented herein may not be useful as a standard of normal if gait is measured over short distances from the command 'go' or if a turn is involved. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The consolidation of data from multiple studies reported in this meta-analysis provides normative data that can serve as a standard against which individuals can be compared. Doing so will aid the interpretation of their performance.
BACKGROUND: Walking speed has implications for community functioning and is predictive of important outcomes. Determining whether an individual's walking speed is limited requires normal values for comparison. OBJECTIVES: To use meta-analysis to describe normal gait speed for healthy individuals within age and gender strata. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Scopus, Science Citation Index and articles identified by hand searches. STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA: Inclusion required that the gait speed of apparently healthy adults was documented as they walked at a normal pace over a course of 3 to 30 m. Summary data were excluded unless obtained from at least 10 participants within a gender and decade stratum. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: The two authors independently reviewed articles and extracted data. Accuracy was confirmed by the other author. Data were grouped within gender and decade strata. A meta-analysis macro was used to consolidate data by strata and to determine homogeneity. RESULTS: Forty-one articles contributed data to the analysis. Combined, they provided data from 23111 subjects. The gait speed was homogeneous within strata and ranged from a mean of 143.4 cm/second for men aged 40 to 49 years to a mean of 94.3 cm/second for women aged 80 to 99 years. LIMITATIONS: The data presented herein may not be useful as a standard of normal if gait is measured over short distances from the command 'go' or if a turn is involved. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The consolidation of data from multiple studies reported in this meta-analysis provides normative data that can serve as a standard against which individuals can be compared. Doing so will aid the interpretation of their performance.
Authors: Jamie N Justice; Matteo Cesari; Douglas R Seals; Carol A Shively; Christy S Carter Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2015-04-23 Impact factor: 6.053
Authors: Pierce Boyne; Victoria Scholl; Sarah Doren; Daniel Carl; Sandra A Billinger; Darcy S Reisman; Myron Gerson; Brett Kissela; Jennifer Vannest; Kari Dunning Journal: Top Stroke Rehabil Date: 2020-02-16 Impact factor: 2.119