Normal gait pattern in elderly costaricans

Abstract

The present study is descriptive, its objective was to evaluate the gait of adults over 60 years, to
define parameters of normality of the gait speed in this population group to serve as a reference for
the study of older adults with impaired gait and describe gait parameters. They tests applied were
the FiCSIT4 test, the Sit-to-stand test, mIDM and walked on the Gait Rite walkway. The results
were compared according to gender and according with the test reference values with a p <0.05
considered to indicate statistical significance. A sample of 200 participants were randomly selected
from the outpatient clinic of the National Geriatrics Hospital and in groups for senior citizens; all
of the candidates were independent in basic activities of daily life, without risk factors for falls. The
mean performance in the FiCSIT4 test was 26.96 (SD 1.206), in the mIDM test a difficulty walking
with vertical and horizontal head turns was found with lower significant performance in the groupof 80 to 85 years, as well as a significant difference in favor of men in surrounding obstacles and
climbing stairs. An average gait speed of 151.6 cm/s was obtained in men and an average gait speed
of 136.8 cm/s in women, without significant difference by gender or age groups, with an average
cadence of 122 steps/min, an average length of the left stride of 141.3 cm and 141.1 cm of the
right stride. We concluded that the older adults in this study had a normal gait pattern, despite the changes associated with aging and the associated comorbidity and it was very similar to the gait pattern of adults under the 60 years of age.