Features Of Normal And Dual-task Walking Gait In Community-dwelling Aged Under Different Frailty Level

Objective To explore the features of normal and dual-task walking gait in community-dwelling aged under different frailty level;To analyze the relationship between different frailty level with normal walking gait features among community-dwelling older adults;To analyze the relationship between different frailty level with dual-task walking gait features among community-dwelling older adults.Methods We recruited older adults who were lived in community-dwelling He Fei province,in China.Data collection from June 2017 to August 2018.A total of 216 aged over 60 years were included by convenience sampling,and divided into frail group(n=21),pre-frail group(n=124)and non-frail group(n=71)according to Simple Frailty Questionnaire(FRAIL)score.The demographic features was assessed with demographic characteristic questionnaire,cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE),and gait parameters were measured by IDEEA Life Gait.All data were analyzed by using SPSS Statistics 18.0.Data were expressed by mean±standard deviation for continuous variables and frequencies and percentages for categorical variables.Baseline differences between participants were compared with descriptive statistics,applying non-parametric tests as appropriate.ANOVA,Kruskal-Wallis Test and Chi-square test were used in the baseline characteristic statistical analyses,where appropriate.The comparison between the two groups(normal and dua-task walking test)in relation to gait variables was carried out using Student’s t test.The comparison between the three groups(non-frail,pre-frail and frail)in relation to gait variables was carried out using ANOVA and Student-Newman-Keuls.A two-tailed P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results(1)A total of 216 aged over 60 years met the inclusion and exclusion criteria in this study.Seventy-one had a FRAIL score of 0,one hundred and twenty-four of them had a FRAIL score of 1 ~ 2,and twenty-one of them had a FRAIL score of ≥ 3.(2)In normal walking test:The speed,step length,step frequency and stride time were statistically significant different between frail group and non-frail group(P<0.05).There was statistically significant difference in step length and speed between frail group and pre-frail group(P<0.05).Step frequency and stride time have no statistically significant difference in frail group and pre-frail group(P>0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in speed,stride time,step frequency,and step length between non-frail group and pre-frail group(P>0.05).(3)In dual-task walking test:The speed,step length were statistically significant different between pre-frail group and non-frail group(P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in stride time,step frequency between non-frail group and pre-frail group(P>0.05).The speed,step length,step frequency and stride time were statistically significant different between frail group and non-frail group(P<0.05).The speed,step length,step frequency and stride time were statistically significant different between pre-frail group and frail group(P<0.05).(4)There were significant differences in gait parameters between the normal walking and dual-task walking test(P<0.05),the dual-task walking test is slower in speed,shorter in step length,less in step frequency and longer in stride time.Conclusion(1)57.41% are considered pre-frail.9.72% are considered frail.(2)In normal walking test,compared with non-frail individuals,frail individuals were slower in speed,shorter in step length,less in step frequency and longer in stride time;Compared with pre-frail individuals,frail individuals were slower in speed,shorter in step length.(3)In dual-task walking test,compared with non-frail individuals,pre-frail individuals were slower in speed,shorter in step length;Compared with non-frail and pre-frail individuals,frail individuals were slower in speed,shorter in step length,less in step frequency and longer in stride time.(4)We can conclude that dual-task walking task can make gait features of frail group to turn worse.The higher the frailty level,the worse the gait among the aged in community-dwelling.