Article

Aging is often associated with changes in the musculoskeletal system,
peripheral and central nervous system. These age-related changes often result in
mobility problems influencing gait performance. Compensatory strategies are used
as a way to adapt to these physiological changes.
The aim of this review is to investigate the differences in spatiotemporal and gait
variability measures throughout the healthy adult life.
METHODS: This systematic
review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and registered in the
PROSPERO database (no. CRD42017057720). Databases MEDLINE (Pubmed), Web of
Science (Web of Knowledge), Cochrane Library and ScienceDirect were
systematically searched until March 2018. RESULTS: Eighteen of the 3195 original
studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. The
majority of studies reported spatiotemporal and gait variability measures in
adults above the age of 65, followed by the young adult population, information
of middle-aged adults is lacking. Spatiotemporal parameters and gait variability
measures were extracted from 2112 healthy adults between 18 and 98 years old and,
in general, tend to deteriorate with increasing age. Variability measures were
only reported in an elderly population and show great variety between studies.
SIGNIFICANCE: The findings of this review suggest that most spatiotemporal
parameters significantly differ across different age groups. Elderly populations
show a reduction of preferred walking speed, cadence, step and stride length, all
related to a more cautious gait, while gait variability measures remain stable
over time. A preliminary framework of normative reference data is provided,
enabling insights into the influence of aging on spatiotemporal parameters,
however spatiotemporal parameters of middle-aged adults should be investigated
more thoroughly.
CI - Copyright (c) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS