[P3-0796] Divergence of gait parameters in the elderly
Keywords:gait, varaiability, elderly
【Purpose】
The walking ability of the elderly improved after providing rejuvenation for more than 10 years；however, the number of falls did not decrease.
The walking ability in the elderly should be studied more because the elderly population continues to rise.
Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the gait parameters that decreased in the active elderly.
【Methods】
The subjects were 14 young people and 14 elderly people.
We attached a three-dimensional accelerometer on the right foot joint of the subjects, who then made a round trip through a 35-m corridor.
We assessed gait parameters such as speed, step numbers, stride length, step frequency（cadence）, walking cycles, and its variability（coefficient of variation：CV）.
Gait parameters were compared between the young and elderly groups.
Furthermore, outliers of the gait cycle were temporally compared.
【Results】
General walking parameters, including speed, cadence and gait cycle, were significantly higher in the elderly group. The CV of the gait cycle was also higher in the elderly group.
Both groups did not show a correlation between the CV of the gait cycle and other gait parameters.
However, there was a tendency for the outliers of the gait cycle in the elderly group to temporally increase faster than the young group.
【Discussion】
For typical gait assessment parameters, such as speed and walking rate, it is difficult to determine the decrease in the walking ability of the active elderly.
The CV of the gait cycle is one of the fall factors that was higher in the elderly group.
It is difficult to accurately investigate the walking ability of the elderly by analyzing typical gait parameters；therefore, detailed analysis of the gait parameters is required because of the variability in the gait cycle.
The walking ability of the elderly improved after providing rejuvenation for more than 10 years；however, the number of falls did not decrease.
The walking ability in the elderly should be studied more because the elderly population continues to rise.
Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the gait parameters that decreased in the active elderly.
【Methods】
The subjects were 14 young people and 14 elderly people.
We attached a three-dimensional accelerometer on the right foot joint of the subjects, who then made a round trip through a 35-m corridor.
We assessed gait parameters such as speed, step numbers, stride length, step frequency（cadence）, walking cycles, and its variability（coefficient of variation：CV）.
Gait parameters were compared between the young and elderly groups.
Furthermore, outliers of the gait cycle were temporally compared.
【Results】
General walking parameters, including speed, cadence and gait cycle, were significantly higher in the elderly group. The CV of the gait cycle was also higher in the elderly group.
Both groups did not show a correlation between the CV of the gait cycle and other gait parameters.
However, there was a tendency for the outliers of the gait cycle in the elderly group to temporally increase faster than the young group.
【Discussion】
For typical gait assessment parameters, such as speed and walking rate, it is difficult to determine the decrease in the walking ability of the active elderly.
The CV of the gait cycle is one of the fall factors that was higher in the elderly group.
It is difficult to accurately investigate the walking ability of the elderly by analyzing typical gait parameters；therefore, detailed analysis of the gait parameters is required because of the variability in the gait cycle.