Walking speed is a highly valid test , both at habitual and maximum speed .
Both habitual and maximum walking speeds are valid instruments , and they predict death , hospitalization/institutionalization , and decline in mobility
The number of available walking tests has increased dramatically over the past decades .
Therefore , it is highly important to help clinicians choose the most appropriate walking test for a specific setting .
This systematic review aim ed to critically evaluate the reliability , validity , and responsiveness of clinical walking speed in a broad population of elderly persons living in the community , sheltered housing , or institutions .
The relation between psychometric test performance and physical performance in older adults.
BACKGROUND The relationship between cognitive function and physical disability in nondemented older adults is not well characterized . The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between performance on psychometric measures and a modified Physical Performance Test ( modified PPT ) in older men and women . METHODS One hundred twenty-five men and women aged 75 years and older , who were enrolled in r and omized , controlled trials of exercise or hormone replacement therapy  , were recruited from the community-at-large and from congregate living sites . Measures obtained included  Trailmaking A and B tests , Cancellation R and om Figure tests , Weschler Associate Learning and 20-minute Delayed Recall , Verbal Fluency test , a modified PPT , and self-reports about performance of activities of daily living , medication use , and hospitalization in the previous year . RESULTS Simple regression analysis demonstrated that speed of performance on the Trailmaking B and Cancellation R and om Figure tests was significantly associated with total modified PPT score ( r = .29 , p < .001 and r = .36,p < .001 , respectively ) . A factor analysis of the psychometric test battery demonstrated that two factors , a cognitive speed factor and a memory factor , accounted for 55 % of the variance in cognitive test performance . Hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated that age , number of medications , and the cognitive speed factor were independent predictors of total modified PPT score . CONCLUSIONS Cognitive processing speed is a significant component of physical frailty in this population , although it accounts for a small percentage of variance on a st and ardized physical performance test
Walking speed is a highly valid test , both at habitual and maximum speed .
Both habitual and maximum walking speeds are valid instruments , and they predict death , hospitalization/institutionalization , and decline in mobility
The number of available walking tests has increased dramatically over the past decades .
Therefore , it is highly important to help clinicians choose the most appropriate walking test for a specific setting .
This systematic review aim ed to critically evaluate the reliability , validity , and responsiveness of clinical walking speed in a broad population of elderly persons living in the community , sheltered housing , or institutions .