Gait Parameters of Older Adults according to Their Fall History and Functional Capacity While Walking at Different Speeds

Abstract

Introduction: It is believed that functional capacity and fall history are factors capable of influencing the gait parameters of older adults. Thus, the objective of this study was to verify whether gait parameters of community-dwelling older adults differ according to their functional capacity and fall history when walking at self-selected walking speed (SSWS) and fast walking speed (FWS) using principal component analysis (PCA). Methods: Two hundred ninety-five participants (82.3% women and 17.7% men) were allocated in four groups according to their fall history and functional capacity: non-fallers with higher functional capacity (NFHFC, n = 94; 69.3 ± 5.5 years), non-fallers with lower functional capacity (NFLFC, n = 114; 72.0 ± 8.1 years), fallers with higher functional capacity (FHFC, n = 29; 70.0 ± 6.0 years), and fallers with lower functional capacity (FLFC, n = 58; 72.5 ± 8.2 years). Fall history, anthropometric data, functional capacity by short physical performance battery and mobility by Timed Up and Go (TUG), and spatiotemporal gait parameters were evaluated. Results: Data analysis indicated that FLFC presented the lowest scores, especially in the Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test and TUG. The PCA showed that the first principal component (PC1) explained the most substantial amount of the data variability in both walking speeds (SSWS and FWS), predominantly including temporal parameters. PC2 composed by spatial outcomes (stride and step length and walking speed) showed the highest effect size. PC1 and PC2 were able to differentiate functional status, regardless of fall history. Conclusions: Functional capacity showed great importance when analyzing gait parameters at different walking speeds (SSWS and FWS), regardless of fall history. Older adults with high functional capacity demonstrate better performance during gait. Besides, spatiotemporal parameters are the main factors explaining gait variability, both in SSWS and FWS.