Korean elderly gait reference data: Spatial and temporal characteristics

In this study, to establish the normal gait indices of the elderly in Korea, we analyze the characteristics of their normal gait patterns and establish reference data. The sample group, selected by purposive sampling, comprises 47 male and 41 female Korean elderly in their 70 s and within the standard height and weight range of ±1σ. Moreover, for the purpose of gait comparison, a reference group comprising 15 male and 16 female participants with a standard physique in their 20 s is formed. Their gait motions are imaged during self-selected normal walking on a flat ground. A comparative analysis between the legs, genders, and age groups is conducted using independent t-tests. The results comprise non-normalized and normalized data; statistically significant differences can be observed between the two datasets. In addition, the gait patterns are similar between the legs and there are no significant differences for most of the spatial and temporal variables between genders. However, between age groups, statistically significant differences can be observed for most variables. Compared to the elderly from other countries, the gait patterns of the Korean elderly have a larger cadence and slower gait speed; in addition, there are no gender differences in the gait characteristics and their step and stride lengths are smaller, suggesting more stable gait patterns.