Normal gait speed varies by age and sex but not by geographical region: a systematic review.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies establishing normative reference values
PubMed 36528509 · doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2022.11.005
What was done
A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted across four databases to establish normative comfortable gait speed values in apparently healthy, community-dwelling adults. Eligible studies were added to a dataset from a previous meta-analysis published a decade earlier. Weighted mean gait speeds and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using random-effects models, stratified by age decade, sex, and continent of study. Homogeneity was evaluated using I^2 and prediction intervals.
What was found
Analyzing data from 51,248 adults, comfortable walking speed declined starting after age 30 years in females and after age 50 years in males. Weighted mean gait speeds ranged from 97 cm/s in females aged >= 80 years to 140 cm/s in males aged 40 to 49 years. I^2 values ranged from 0 to 34.07, and prediction interval widths ranged from 30 cm/s (125 to 155 cm/s in males aged 40 to 49 years) to 77 cm/s (83 to 160 cm/s in females aged 60 to 69 years). Confidence intervals showed substantial overlap between continents for each age and sex stratum.
Why it matters
This study provides large-scale normative values for adult comfortable gait speed, demonstrating that while age and sex stratifications are essential, geographical region does not require separate reference ranges.
Limits
The abstract does not report the total number of included studies, measurement protocols (such as track length or acceleration zones), or height adjustments. The criteria used to define 'apparently healthy' participants across primary studies were not specified.
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