Decline in Gait Performance Detected by an Electronic Walkway System in 907 Older Adults of the Population-Based KORA-Age Study

Autenrieth, Christine S.; Karrasch, Stefan; Heier, Margit; Gorzelniak, Lukas; Ladwig, Karl-Heinz; Peters, Annette; Doering, Angela (2013): Decline in Gait Performance Detected by an Electronic Walkway System in 907 Older Adults of the Population-Based KORA-Age Study. In: Gerontology, No. 2: pp. 165-173

Abstract

Background: Gait changes at older ages are a strong predictor of adecline in lower extremity functions. However, large population-basedstudies assessing gait parameters in various gait tasks are lacking.Objective: We investigated the relationship of age, the use of mobilityaids and being fitted with an endoprosthesis with selected gaitparameters, assessed in different walking tasks. Methods: In thepopulation-based KORA-Age study, data from 907 men and women aged 65-91years were obtained using the validated electronic walkway systemGAITRite, which quantifies spatiotemporal gait parameters in themeasurement range of a 488 x 61 cm walkway mat. Participants completedthree walking tasks at different speeds (normal, slow and fast) and afourth walking task at normal speed with the additional task of countingbackwards (dual-task walking). Additionally, the impact ofendoprostheses (hip or knee) and mobility aids was assessed.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Medicine
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• ISSN: 0304-324X
• Alliance/National Licence: This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.
• Language: English