Article

Gait variability, defined as the fluctuation in spatiotemporal characteristics
between steps, is suggested to be a sensitive indicator of mobility deficits with
aging and pathological processes.
A challenge in quantifying gait variability is
the decision of which spatiotemporal parameters to assess because gait parameters
may exhibit different amounts of variability and may differentially relate to
mobility performance. The Gait Variability Index (GVI), a composite measure of
variability across several gait parameters, was previously developed to overcome
this challenge. The present study seeks to validate the use of GVI in the older
adult population. A retrospective analysis of gait and clinical data was
conducted using data pooled from five prior studies. The final data set included
105 younger adults (YA, age<65) and 81 older adults (OA, age>/=65). The GVI of OA
(91.92+/-8.75) was significantly lower compared to the GVI of YA (100.79+/-7.99).
Within OA, the GVI was significantly lower (p<0.0001) in individuals with
mobility deficits (84.35+/-9.03) compared to those with high mobility function
(96.35+/-8.86). Furthermore, GVI was associated with mobility function, including
walking speed and performance on the Berg Balance Scale. Our findings imply that
the GVI is a valid assessment for gauging spatiotemporal gait variability in
older adults, is sensitive to differentiate between high-functioning older adults
and those with mild to moderate mobility deficits and is associated with some
clinical measures of functional mobility and balance.
CI - Published by Elsevier B.V.

Langue : ANGLAIS