Key result
Walking at 100% preferred speed is linked to enhanced mid-stance-phase stability versus 40% and 140% speeds.
Why the study?
Walking instability increases fall risk and compromises mobility safety, but the impact of different percentages of preferred walking speed and age on walking stability is unclear.
Does walking at preferred walking speed improve walking stability compared to slower or faster speeds in healthy adults?
Observational (n=26)
Does walking at preferred walking speed improve walking stability compared to slower or faster speeds in healthy adults?
p-value: p=0.001
Preferred walking speed enhances the stability of the mid-stance-phase movement component of the gait cycle more than slower or faster walking speeds during treadmill walking.
Age-related stability shifts at non-preferred speeds warrant mobility caution in older adults; leaves open optimal thresholds for targeted interventions.
Walking instability increases the risk of falls and compromises mobility safety. This study aimed to explore the impact of various percentages of preferred walking speed (PWS)—specifically, 40%, 55%, 70%, 85%, 100%, 115%, 130%, and 145%—along with age‐related changes, on walking stability during treadmill walking. Kinematic marker data from all walking speed trials were pooled for analysis, involving a total of 26 participants (13 young adults aged 24.7 ± 2.4 years and 13 older adults aged 60.8 ± 6.4 years). These pooled data were then decomposed into various movement components (i.e., movement strategies), known as principal movements (PMs), using principal component analysis (PCA). These PMs, which resemble the phases of a gait cycle, collectively contribute to the accomplishment of the walking task. The participant‐specific largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE) was employed to assess the local dynamic stability of individual PMs, with lower LyE values indicating higher stability, thereby allowing for the examination of walking speed and age effects. The main findings revealed that only the effects of altered walking speeds were observed; specifically, the LyE value for the midstance phase (PM 3 ) at 100% of PWS was significantly lower than at 40% of PWS ( p = 0.001), and there was a trend indicating that the LyE value at 100% of PWS was also lower than at 140% of PWS ( p = 0.027). These results suggest that PWS enhances the stability of the mid‐stance‐phase movement component of the gait cycle more than the slower and faster walking speeds during treadmill walking.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Arunee Promsri (2025) conducted an observational in Healthy (n=26). Altered walking speeds (percentages of preferred walking speed) vs. 100% of preferred walking speed was evaluated on Local dynamic stability of individual principal movements assessed by the largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE) (p=0.001). Walking at 100% of preferred walking speed significantly enhanced mid-stance-phase stability compared to 40% (p=0.001) and 140% (p=0.027) of preferred walking speed.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: