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Open AccessJournal ArticleDOI

Walking Speed: The Functional Vital Sign

TLDR
This scholarly review article provides clinicians with a reference tool regarding this robust measure and recommends on testing procedures for assessing WS, including optimal distance, inclusion of acceleration and deceleration phases, instructions, and instrumentation.
Abstract
Walking speed (WS) is a valid, reliable, and sensitive measure appropriate for assessing and monitoring functional status and overall health in a wide range of populations. These capabilities have led to its designation as the "sixth vital sign". By synthesizing the available evidence on WS, this scholarly review article provides clinicians with a reference tool regarding this robust measure. Recommendations on testing procedures for assessing WS, including optimal distance, inclusion of acceleration and deceleration phases, instructions, and instrumentation are given. After assessing an individual's WS, clinicians need to know what this value represents. Therefore, WS cut-off values and the corresponding predicted outcomes, as well as minimal detectable change values for specific populations and settings are provided.

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Age-Related Diseases and Clinical and Public Health Implications for the 85 Years Old and Over Population.

TL;DR: Comparing healthy behaviors starting in early childhood can optimize quality of life among the oldest-old and judicious prescribing and ordering of tests includes a consideration of life expectancy, lag time to benefit, and patient goals.
Journal ArticleDOI

A soft robotic exosuit improves walking in patients after stroke.

TL;DR: Using controlled, treadmill-based biomechanical investigation, it is demonstrated that exosuits can function in synchrony with a wearer’s paretic limb to facilitate an immediate improvement in walking performance observed using the powered exosuit, making this a promising approach for neurorehabilitation.
Journal ArticleDOI

Gut Microbiota, Muscle Mass and Function in Aging: A Focus on Physical Frailty and Sarcopenia.

TL;DR: The causal link between microbiota and physical fitness is still uncertain due to the lack of targeted studies and the influence of a large number of covariates, including diet, exercise, multimorbidity, and polypharmacy, on both microbiota composition and physical function in older age.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

Comfortable and maximum walking speed of adults aged 20—79 years: reference values and determinants

TL;DR: Gait speed can be expected to be reduced in individuals of greater age and of lesser height and lower extremity muscle strength and normative values should give clinicians a reference against which patient performance can be compared in a variety of settings.
Journal ArticleDOI

Gait speed at usual pace as a predictor of adverse outcomes in community-dwelling older people an International Academy on Nutrition and Aging (IANA) Task Force

TL;DR: Gait speed at usual pace was found to be a consistent risk factor for disability, cognitive impairment, institutionalisation, falls, and/or mortality in older adults as mentioned in this paper, and the use of simple, safe, and easy to perform assessment tool, like gait speed, to evaluate vulnerability to adverse outcomes in community-dwelling older people is appealing.
Journal ArticleDOI

Classification of Walking Handicap in the Stroke Population

TL;DR: The results of this study offer a quantitative method of relating the social disadvantage of stroke patients to the impairment and disability sustained and the measurement of therapeutic outcome in relation to the social advantage for the patient would allow more efficient standardization of treatment and services.
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