Reference equations for harmonizing gait speed results of different test protocols in community-dwelling older adults.

Background And Aims: Different gait speed assessment protocols regarding start and stop of walking make comparison between studies impossible. The aim of this study was providing reference equations to estimate a person´s steady-state gait speed from gait speed measured with a test protocol including static start and/or stop.

Methods: Gait speed of 150 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 80.5 ± 4.5 years; 61% women) was measured over 4 m with different assessment protocols regarding start and stop of walking on an instrumented walkway. Reference equations to estimate steady-state gait speed from the results of other test protocols were calculated by regression analysis within a fivefold cross-validation.

Results: Mean absolute errors and the root mean squared errors of all reference equations ranged from 0.063 m/s to 0.074 m/s and 0.082 m/s to 0.096 m/s, respectively.

Conclusions: The provided reference equations can help harmonizing results between studies in community-dwelling older adults.