Age‐related changes in gait speeds and asymmetry during circular gait and straight‐line gait in older individuals aged 60–79 years

Abstract

AIM: The present study aimed to investigate the age-related changes in gait speeds and asymmetry during circular and straight-line gaits among older adults aged 60-79 years. METHODS: The study included 391 community-dwelling older adults aged >60 years, who participated in the Nagahama cohort study. They were assigned to four age groups: 60-64 years (early 60s), 65-69 years (late 60s), 70-74 years (early 70s) and 75-79 years (late 70s). For the circular gait test, the time required to walk twice around a 1-m diameter circle for right and left rotations were measured. The average time of the two trials was measured as the circular gait time, and the side-to-side difference in the circular gait times was calculated as an asymmetry index. Walking speed, asymmetry of step length, and asymmetry of stance duration time during straight-line gait at comfortable and maximal walking pace were measured. RESULTS: Circular gait time in older women in the late 70s group was significantly slower than that in other age groups; however, no age-related change was observed in older men. Maximal gait speeds in the early and late 70s groups were significantly slower than those in the early 60s group. CONCLUSIONS: Age-related decline in circular gait speed was observed in older women aged ≥75 years, but not in older men. Maximal straight-line gait speed decreased significantly in both genders after the age of 70 years. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; ••: ••-••.