Article

results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging ; Diabetes may impact gait mechanics before onset of frank neuropathies and other
associated threats to mobility. This study aims to characterize gait pattern
alterations of type 2 diabetic adults without peripheral neuropathy during
walking at maximum speed (fast-walking) as well as at self-selected speed
(usual-walking). One-hundred and eighty-six participants aged 60-87 from the
Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) able to walk unassisted and without
peripheral neuropathy were classified as non-diabetic (N=160) or having type 2
diabetes (N=26). Gait parameters from the fast-walking and usual-walking tests
were compared between participants with and without type 2 diabetes. Participants
with diabetes had a shorter stride length for fast-walking (p=0.033) and a longer
percentage of the gait cycle with the knee in 1st flexion for both fast- and
usual-walking (p=0.033, and 0.040, respectively) than non-diabetic participants.
Participants with diabetes exhibited a smaller hip range of motion in the
sagittal plane during usual-walking compared to non-diabetics (p=0.049). During
fast-walking, participants with diabetes used lower ankle generative mechanical
work expenditure (MWE) and higher knee absorptive MWE compared to non-diabetic
persons (p=0.021, and 0.018, respectively). These findings suggest that
individuals with type 2 diabetes without overt peripheral neuropathy exhibit
altered and less efficient gait patterns than non-diabetic persons. These
alterations are more apparent during walking at a maximum speed indicating that
maximum gait testing may be useful for identifying early threats to mobility
limitations in older adults with type 2 diabetes.
CI - Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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