Comparison of gait of young women and elderly women.

The purpose of our study was to describe and compare free-speed gait patterns of healthy young women with healthy elderly women. The evaluation was completed with high-speed cinematography using synchronized front and side views of 26 healthy volunteers. One group was composed of 13 subjects 20 to 35 years of age, and the other group was composed of 13 subjects 60 to 84 years of age. Each subject participated in one test session consisting of three filmed trials of free-speed ambulation down a 14-m walkway. The processed film was analyzed for 10 gait characteristics. Differences in gait characteristics between the two groups were examined using a correlated t test (p less than .01). The elderly women demonstrated significantly smaller values of step length, stride length, ankle range of motion, pelvic obliquity, and velocity when compared with the younger women. The results of our study suggest that the physical therapist should not establish similar expectations for young women and elderly women during gait rehabilitation.