4. Walking speed

4.1 Interest and measurement methods

Walking is the fundamental form of human locomotion. Walking is a relatively safe, simple and automatic action, because man performs it without having to think about it. However, in reality it is highly complex, requiring the integrity of motor, cerebellar, vestibular and proprioceptive afferents.

With age, walking performance changes under the combined effect of physiological and pathological aging. These changes manifest themselves mainly in irregular steps, reduced foot spacing, instability and reduced walking speed.

Among the above-mentioned symptoms, gait speed appears to be a global marker of locomotor capacity in the elderly. Studies have shown that gait speed reflects overall gait, and more...