First signs of elderly gait for women

• Authors: Katarzyna Kaczmarczyk , Ida Wiszomirska , Michalina Błażkiewicz , Michał Wychowański , Andrzej Wit

Abstracts

EN

Background The aims of this study have been twofold: to attempt to reduce the number of spatiotemporal parameters used for describing gait through the factor analysis and component analysis; and to explore the critical age of decline for other gait parameters for healthy women. Material and Methods A total of 106 women (aged ≥ 40 years old (N = 76) and ≤ 31 years old (N = 30)) were evaluated using a pressure-sensitive mat (Zebris Medical System, Tübingen, Germany) for collecting spatiotemporal gait parameters. Results The factor analysis identified 2 factors – labelled Time and Rhythm – that accounted for 72% of the variation in significant free-gait parameters; the principal component analysis identified 4 of these parameters that permit full clinical evaluation of gait quality. No difference was found between the groups in terms of the values of parameters reflecting the temporal nature of gait (Rhythm), namely step time, stride time and cadence, whereas significant differences were found for total double support phase (p < 0.001). Next, seeking evidence of a critical decline in gait, we selected 3 parameters: total double support, stride time and velocity. We concluded that the women taking part in the experiment manifested significant signs of senile gait after the age of 60 years old, with the first symptoms thereof already manifesting themselves after 50 years of age. Conclusions We show that among 26 spatiotemporal parameters that may be used for characterizing gait, at least a half of them may be omitted in the assessment of gait correctness; a finding that may be useful in clinical practice. The finding that the onset of senile gait occurs in the case of women after the age of 60 years old, in turn, may be useful in evaluating the ability for performing types of physical work that mainly require ambulation. Med Pr 2017;68(4):441–448

Keywords

EN

ageing; gait analysis; factor analysis; spatiotemporal parameters; elderly women; normative data

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: Medycyna Pracy
• Year: 2017
• Volume: 68
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 441-448

Dates

published

2017

Contributors

author

Katarzyna Kaczmarczyk

• Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warszawa, Poland (Faculty of Rehabilitation, Department of Physiology)

author

Ida Wiszomirska

• Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warszawa, Poland (Faculty of Rehabilitation, Department of Anatomy and Kinesiology)

author

Michalina Błażkiewicz

• Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warszawa, Poland (Faculty of Rehabilitation, Department of Biomechanics)

author

Michał Wychowański

• Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warszawa, Poland (Faculty of Rehabilitation, Department of Biomechanics)

author

Andrzej Wit

• Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warszawa, Poland (Faculty of Rehabilitation, Department of Biomechanics)

Identifiers

DOI

10.13075/mp.5893.00626

Biblioteka Nauki

2164082