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 .
Walking speed and stride length predicts 36 months dependency, mortality, and institutionalization in Chinese aged 70 and older.
BACKGROUND Increasing emphasis is being placed on physical performance measures as an outcome predictor . It is uncertain whether one or two simple measurements will have predictive value compared with a battery of tests . OBJECTIVES To assess whether simple performance measures such as  walking speed and stride length  will predict dependency , mortality , and institutionalization . DESIGN A 3-year longitudinal study of a r and om sample of subjects . SETTING Older people living in the community in Hong Kong , Special Administrative Region , China . SUBJECTS A total of 2032 Chinese subjects aged 70 years and older were recruited territory-wide by  proportional r and om sampling and followed for 3 years . MEASUREMENTS Functional status was measured using the Barthel Index at baseline and follow-up . The time taken to walk a distance of 16 feet  and the number of steps taken were measured at baseline . Stride length is estimated by dividing 16 by the average number of steps needed to complete the walk . Outcomes regarding dependency , mortality , and institutionalization at 36 months were recorded . RESULTS After excluding subjects lost to follow-up and those who had died , data were available for 559 men and 612 women . Univariate analysis showed that reduced walking speed and stride length were associated with increased risk of dependency , mortality , and institutionalization . In multivariate analysis for dependency and mortality , stride length , walking speed , age , and sex were included in the best prediction model ( ROC = 0.798 and 0.707 , respectively ) , whereas only stride length was included in the prediction for institutionalization ( ROC = 0.764 ) . CONCLUSIONS In terms of prevention or modifying outcomes , these two simple performance measures may be used as indicators for checking for occult disease and for interventional measures such as exercise prescription
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 .