From laboratory to daily life assessment: A systematic review and meta-analysis of gait speed discrepancies in healthy older adults.
Gait PostureJun 12, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchGeriatrics
Nguyen Thi My Lien, Roy T H Cheung, Ming-Kai Hsieh et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined gait speed discrepancies between laboratory and real-world settings in healthy older adults. The analysis included 11 studies and found a pooled mean difference of 0.22 m/s (95% CI: 0.09-0.35, p < 0.001), indicating that gait speed is consistently higher in laboratory conditions compared to real-world assessments.
Key findings
- The pooled mean difference in gait speed was 0.22 m/s, with higher speeds in laboratory settings.
- Real-world gait speed data from 106,156 older adults ranged from 0.81 to 1.28 m/s.
- Women generally walked more slowly than men within the same age cohorts.
- Age, sex, and monitoring duration were not significant moderators of gait speed differences.
Why it matters
Understanding the discrepancies in gait speed measurements is crucial for clinicians assessing functional decline in older adults. Accurate interpretation of gait speed can inform interventions and improve mobility outcomes.