2013 Volume 50 Issue 4 Pages 528-535
Aim: To examine the association between gait parameters and knee pain, urinary incontinence, and a history of falls.
Methods: Comprehensive health examinations were conducted in 2009 among 971 elderly women over 70 years of age, in which the questionnaire and gait parameter results of 870 participants were analyzed. Knee pain, urinary incontinence and a history of falls were assessed through face-to-face interview surveys. Gait parameters were measured using a walk-way to assess walking speed, cadence, stride, stride length, step width, walking angle, toe angle and the differences in each parameter between the right and left foot. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the associations between the gait parameters and knee pain, urinary incontinence and a history of falls.
Results: The elderly women with knee pain, urinary incontinence and a history of falls had slower walking speeds, smaller strides and strides length, and wider step width and walking angles. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed the walking speed to be significantly associated with mild knee pain and urinary incontinence and single a history of fall; moderate/severe knee pain was significantly associated with step width (OR=0.58, 95%CI=0.40-0.84) and walking angle (OR=1.62, 95%CI=1.30-2.01); moderate/severe urinary incontinence was significantly associated with walking speed (OR=0.97, 95%CI=0.96-0.99), walking angle (OR=1.14, 95%CI=1.02-1.26), and difference in walking angle between the right and left foot (OR=1.43, 95%CI=1.09-1.86); multiple a history of falls was significantly associated with stride length (OR=0.85, 95%CI=0.79-0.93) and the difference in walking angle between the right and left foot (OR=1.36, 95%CI=1.01-1.85).
Conclusions: The data suggest that combining assessments of walking speed and other gait parameters may be an effective screening method for the early detection of geriatric syndromes.
