Don ’ t overlook your shoes as a possible contributor to an unsteady gait . Ill-fitting shoes with no support can cause you to shuffle your feet . related to leg length : Tall people take longer steps at a slower cadence , and short people take shorter steps at a faster cadence . The appearance of deceleration is not due to cadence but to shorter steps as a person ages . u Double stance time . The length of time a person has both feet on the ground while walking can double with age . A person with a longer double stance time may look as if he or she is walking on ice . u Walking posture . An upright walking position is normal in healthy older adults , although some people may tilt their pelvis forward with an inward curve in the lower back ( known as lumbar lordosis ) because of tight hip-flexor muscles , weak abdominal muscles , and increased abdominal fat . u Joint motion . Because ankle flexibility may be
reduced , gait may change slightly as the back foot lifts off the ground when walking . Older adults also have a limited range of motion in the hips . Age-related gait changes can result from a general reduction in fitness , including stiffness , loss of limb strength , a declining sense of balance , and less lung and heart capacity . On average , people with stronger legs or more range of motion in their ankles and hips walk faster . Walking speed has been linked to overall health and life expectancy : Fast walkers ( defined as 1 meter per second , or 2.5 mph , or more ) are more likely to outlive slower walkers . And having to stop walking while talking is a predictor of future falls .
The fear of falling can cause a gait change . Called cautious gait , this change in gait occurs in older adults who have already taken a stumble or who have poor vision . A person with cautious gait may have exaggerated agerelated gait changes and walk with careful , wide-legged movements and minimal arm movement . If a cautious gait isn ’ t corrected , and fear of falling becomes obsessive , it can lead to a phobic gait disorder in which a person becomes completely unable to walk .
ABNORMAL GAIT CHANGES
A sudden change in gait with no apparent cause is not normal and needs to be evaluated by a doctor right away . Often , however , gait changes are more subtle and develop gradually as a result of a chronic medical condition .
An abnormal gait is rarely due to one single factor . Most gait disorders involve multiple contributing factors . For example , it ’ s not uncommon for one person ’ s gait to be impaired by a combination of joint pain ,
32 February 2018 HEALTH & NUTRITION