Longitudinal Analysis of Physical Factors Affecting the Walking Pattern and Ability of Elderly Local Residents

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In elderly local residents in whom basic investigations on physical strength, walking ability, etc. had been completed, the actual state of walking was investigated again after a pause from 2 years and 6 months to 3 years, and the physical parameters indicating changes in walking pattern and ability were analyzed. Changes in walking pattern were observed in 7.6% of male subjects and 12.9% of female subjects, and the walk time changed in 16.6% and 27.3% of male and female subjects, respectively. These changes most frequently occurred around 75 years of age. Changes in walking pattern were reflected in the following physical abilities: the force of femoral quadriceps muscle, the time of one leg standing, the time of 10 m-walking beyond barriers and the distance attained by 6-min walking in both male and female subjects, and in the time of one leg standing and the frequency of upper body rising in female subjects. The walk time was reflected in multiple physical strength factors. The results of this longitudinal analysis nearly agreed with those of previous cross-sectional analysis. For the elderly to have healthy walking and to stay independent, it is important to train the walking ability, the muscle force of lower extremities and balancing ability, that can be evaluated from in the force of femoral quadriceps muscle, the time of one leg standing, the time of 10 m-walking beyond barriers and the distance attained by 6 min-walking. Especially in the time of one leg standing, decreasing of the time of one leg standing could pick up as a standard rate for changing of walking pattern. Standard rate of the time of one leg standing in elderly local residents is 40 minutes in 65-69 years, 30 minutes in 70-74 years, 20 minutes in 75-79 years and 10 minutes over 80 years. But in elderly facilities, the physical parameters indicating changes in walking pattern and ability could not be detected.