Health & Nutrition Health and Nutrition - February 2018.edcoan.ir | Page 31

L
ike almost everything else,
the way we walk changes
as we age. Maybe you’ve
noticed it in yourself or a
friend: A slower step, a slight
stagger, or a limp, a shuffle,
a tilt. But how do you know
what’s normal and what’s not?
While many people
experience some slight
changes in their gait as
they age, for others this
doesn’t happen until they
are extremely old. However,
walking difficulty should not
be accepted as an inevitable
consequence of aging. It can
signal an underlying condition
that needs medical attention
and whose adverse impact on
mobility and independence
can be avoided if recognized
and treated early enough.
A study estimated that about
10% of people aged between
60 and 69, and nearly 62%
among people aged between
80 and 97, have a gait, or
walking pattern, disorder.
Abnormal gait changes
can signal a nervous system
condition, such as Parkinson’s
disease; a bone, muscle, or
joint disorder, such as arthritis;
psychological factors, such
as anxiety or depression; or
drug side effects. Some gait
disturbances are associated
with an increased risk of
developing dementia and
cardiovascular disease. Any
type of gait change pre-
disposes adults to falls and
serious injuries.
If you notice a change
in gait in yourself or a
loved one, have the change
checked out by a doctor
to detect the underlying
causes and prevent falls and
future immobility.
NORMAL AGE-
RELATED GAIT
CHANGES
Several distinct elements
determine whether gait is
normal in healthy older adults:
u Speed. Most adults walk
more slowly as they age.
In people who don’t have
significant health problems,
gait speed declines by
about 0.2% a year up to age
63, and up to 1.6% each
year after that. A reason
for a slower gait may be
decreased strength in the
calf muscles, which you use
to propel yourself forward.
u Cadence. For most
people, cadence, or
rhythm, doesn’t change
as they age. Cadence is
walking
An upright
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