Energy Cost of Slow and Normal Gait Speeds in Low and Normally Functioning Adults. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2019 Nov;98(11):976-981
Date
05/29/2019Pubmed ID
31135461DOI
10.1097/PHM.0000000000001228Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85073578703 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 5 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVE: Slow walking speed paired with increased energy cost is a strong predictor for mortality and disability in older adults but has yet to be examined in a heterogeneous sample (ie, age, sex, disease status). The aim of this study was to examine energy cost of slow and normal walking speeds among low- and normal-functioning adults.
DESIGN: Adults aged 20-90 yrs were recruited for this study. Participants completed a 10-m functional walk test at a self-selected normal walking speed and were categorized as low functioning or normal functioning based on expected age- and sex-adjusted average gait speed. Participants completed two successive 3-min walking stages, at slower than normal and normal walking speeds, respectively. Gas exchange was measured and energy cost per meter (milliliter per kilogram per meter) was calculated for both walking speeds.
RESULTS: Energy cost per meter was higher (P < 0.0001) in the low-functioning group (n = 76; female = 59.21%; mean ± SD age = 61.13 ± 14.68 yrs) during the slower than normal and normal (P < 0.0001) walking speed bouts compared with the normal-functioning group (n = 42; female = 54.76%; mean ± SD age = 51.55 ± 19.51 yrs).
CONCLUSIONS: Low-functioning adults rely on greater energy cost per meter of walking at slower and normal speeds. This has implications for total daily energy expenditure in low-functioning, adult populations.
Author List
Rowley TW, Cho C, Swartz AM, Staudenmayer J, Hyngstrom A, Keenan KG, Welch WA, Strath SJAuthors
Allison Hyngstrom PhD Associate Professor in the Physical Therapy department at Marquette UniversityWhitney A. Morelli PhD Assistant Professor in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAged
Aged, 80 and over
Cross-Sectional Studies
Energy Metabolism
Exercise Test
Female
Gait
Health
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Oxygen Consumption
Walking Speed
Young Adult
