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J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2013 Oct;68(10):1286-90. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glt034. Epub 2013 May 20.
Gait speed has shown to be an indicator of functional status in older adults; however, there may be aspects of physical function not represented by speed but by the quality of movement. The purpose of this study was to determine the relations between walking smoothness, an indicator of the quality of movement based on trunk accelerations, and physical function.
Thirty older adults (mean age, 77.7±5.1 years) participated. Usual gait speed was measured using an instrumented walkway. Walking smoothness was quantified by harmonic ratios derived from anteroposterior, vertical, and mediolateral trunk accelerations recorded during overground walking. Self-reported physical function was recorded using the function subscales of the Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument.
Anteroposterior smoothness was positively associated with all function components of the Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument, whereas mediolateral smoothness exhibited negative associations. Adjusting for gait speed, anteroposterior smoothness remained associated with the overall and lower extremity function subscales, whereas mediolateral smoothness remained associated with only the advanced lower extremity subscale.
These findings indicate that walking smoothness, particularly the smoothness of forward progression, represents aspects of the motor control of walking important for physical function not represented by gait speed alone.
步速已被证明是老年人功能状态的一个指标；然而，有些身体功能可能无法通过速度来体现，而需要通过运动质量来体现。本研究的目的是确定基于躯干加速度的运动质量指标——行走平稳性与身体功能之间的关系。
30 名老年人（平均年龄 77.7±5.1 岁）参与了研究。使用仪器化步道测量了通常的步行速度。通过记录在地面行走过程中的前后、垂直和左右方向的躯干加速度，计算出谐波比来量化行走平稳性。使用晚期生活功能和残疾工具的功能子量表记录了自我报告的身体功能。
前后平稳性与晚期生活功能和残疾工具的所有功能分量均呈正相关，而左右平稳性则呈负相关。在调整了步速后，前后平稳性仍与整体和下肢功能子量表相关，而左右平稳性仅与高级下肢子量表相关。
这些发现表明，行走平稳性，特别是前进运动的平稳性，代表了对身体功能的重要运动控制方面，这些方面不能仅通过步速来体现。
