BACKGROUND: Aging is associated with the decline in physical function and mobility, including usual gait speed. Decreasing gait speed is associated with increased mortality, morbidity rates, as well loss of independence. Thus, identifying predictors for declining gait speed is of clinical importance. Interestingly, previous literature has reported an association between declining rates of gait speeds and higher systolic blood pressure values. The purpose of the present study seeks to evaluate this claim and as well as identify other potential predictors of slowed gait speeds in older adults. METHODS: Single measurements of usual gait speeds and resting systolic blood pressure values were collected from 92 participants (age 73.65, 71.7% female) across two different studies utilizing a 4-meter usual gait speed test to evaluate the association between gait and systolic blood pressure. Physical activity was measured using accelerometers and body compositions were also taken. RESULTS: Mean values (mean ± std) were: systolic blood pressure (133.02 ± 17.86 mm Hg), gait speed (0.990 ± 0.214 m/s), body fat percentage (35.55 ± 9.50 %), and moderate minutes of physical activity per day (49.87 ± 37.41 min). Systolic blood pressure was not significantly correlated with gait speed (p > 0.05). Hierarchal multiple regressions performed to adjust for age, and minutes of moderate physical activity per day due to significant correlation with gait speed (p < 0.05), as well as diastolic blood pressure due to trend with gait speed (p < 0.10) did not affect the results (r2change= 0.002). CONCLUSION: While previous literature suggests higher systolic blood pressures can accelerate gait speed decline, the data presented does not associate higher systolic blood pressure as a cross-sectional predictor of slowed gait speed in older adults. Objective physical activity measurements were to found to be more strongly associated with gait speed.
Author: Dillon J. Canter
Faculty Advisor: Kyle L. Timmerman, Kinesiology, Nutrition and Health
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