Falls are a major public health threat among older adults
Exercise interventions are one of the most effective ways to prevent falls in the community
But these interventions depend on early identification of those at high risk for falling
One useful tool physiotherapists can use to spot vulnerable individuals is gait speed
A gait speed under 1.0 m/sec has been well correlated with an increased fall risk in the elderly
Now, researchers have shown that using a gait-speed cut-off of 1.0 m/sec captures several other modifiable risk factors for falls
including a multiple-fall history, depressive symptoms, and a high number of medications
The results support gait speed assessment as an interdisciplinary single test to identify individuals who would benefit from guided fall-preventive exercise
Kyrdalen, et al. Associations between gait speed and well-known fall-risk factors amongst community-dwelling older adults. (2018) Physiotherapy Research International