Abstract
Quantifying spatio-temporal gait parameters in stationary and ambulatory geriatric settings may aid the early identification of potential fallers, as well as the documentation of illness-specific gait disorders and intervention-related changes in rehabilitative medicine. Bringing gait analysis out of the laboratory and into a clinical setting is the goal of the European GAITRite network group, initiated in 2003 in Geneva. To enhance reproducibility of gait measures and for better comparability of outcomes in clinical environments, a consensus on data collection was formulated and presented at the 2nd European GAITRite Meeting in Marseilles. The guidelines presented here are intended to facilitate network collaborations and to provide guidance to clinicians who wish to implement spatio-temporal gait analysis in clinical settings.
References
Kressig RW, Gregor RJ, Oliver A, et al. Temporal and spatial features of older adults transitioning to frailty. Gait Posture 2004; 20: 30–5.
Maki BE. Gait changes in older adults: predictors of falls or indicators of fear. J Am Geriatr Soc 1997; 45: 313–20.
Hausdorff JM, Rios DA, Edelberg HK. Gait variability and fall risk in community-living older adults: a 1-year prospective study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001; 82: 1050–6.
Beauchet O, Kressig RW, Najafi B, Dubost V, Mourey F. Age-related decline of gait control under a dual-task condition. J Am Geriatr Soc 2003; 51: 1187–8.
Sheridan PL, Solomont J, Kowall N, Hausdorff JM. Influence of executive function on locomotor function: divided attention increases gait variability in Alzheimer’s disease. J Am Geriatr Soc 2003; 51: 1633–7.
Klenerman L, Dobbs RJ, Weller C, Leeman AL, Nicholson PW. Bringing gait analysis out of the laboratory and into the clinic. Age Ageing 1988; 17: 397–400.
Kressig RW, Beauchet O. Gait analysis and tailored exercise prescription in older adults. Z Gerontol Geriat 2004; 37: 15–9.
Menz HB, Latt MD, Tiedemann A, Mun San Kwan M, Lord SR. Reliability of the GAITRite system for the quantification of temporo-spatial parameters of gait in young and older people. Gait Posture 2004; 20: 20–5.
Bilney B, Morris M, Webster K. Concurrent related validity of the GAITRite walkway system for quantification of the spatial and temporal parameters of gait. Gait Posture 2003; 17: 68–74.
McDonough AL, Batavia M, Chen FC, Kwon S, Ziai J. The validity and reliability of the GAITRite system’s measurements: a preliminary evaluation. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2001; 82: 419–25.
Cutlip RG, Mancinelli C, Huber F, DiPasquale J. Evaluation of an instrumented walkway for measurement of kinematic parameters of gait. Gait Posture 2000; 12: 134–8.
Lindemann U, Scheible S, Sturm E, et al. Elevated heels and adaptation to new shoes in frail elderly women. Z Gerontol Geriat 2003; 36: 29–34.
Helbostad JL, Moe-Nilssen R. The effect of gait speed on lateral balance control during walking in healthy elderly. Gait Posture 2003; 18: 27–36.
Moe-Nilssen R, Helbostad JL. Interstride trunk acceleration variability but not step width variability can differentiate between fit and frail older adults. Gait Posture 2005; 21: 164–70.
Beauchet O, Dubost V, Gonthier R, Kressig RW. Dual-task-related gait changes in transitional frail older adults: the type of the walking-associated cognitive task matters. Gerontology 2005; 51: 48–52.
Fried LP, Tangen CM, Walston J, et al., Cardiovascular Health Study Collaborative Research Group. Frailty in older adults: evidence for a phenotype. J Gerontol 2001; 56: M146–56.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Consortia
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kressig, R.W., Beauchet, O. & European GAITRite® Network Group. Guidelines for clinical applications of spatio-temporal gait analysis in older adults. Aging Clin Exp Res 18, 174–176 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03327437
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03327437