Study: The speed at which you start walking may predict your risk of death

Normal start of movement can do a lot talk about the condition of an elderly person. Israeli researchers found that slower start of the first stepespecially during a simultaneous mental task, was associated with higher mortality in subsequent years.

This is not about the fact that a person “took too long to get up from the couch – and this is a death sentence.” The study shows a statistical link between movement launch speed, balance, brain function and long-term health. The authors emphasize: delayed step does not directly cause deathand may be a marker of a decrease in the body’s resistance.

What exactly was studied

The work was published in the journal Gerontology. The study included 120 older participantswhose average age was about 78 years old.

Scientists assessed not only normal walking, but also a person’s ability to quickly start moving in a situation where the brain had to simultaneously perform another task. For example, participants had to respond to a cue and initiate a step while simultaneously performing a cognitive task.

This format is called double task. It is important because in real life people rarely walk in complete silence, looking at one point and thinking only about their left leg. We walk, talk, remember, look around, hold bags and try not to step on someone else’s cat.

What the results showed

The authors found that longer step initiation times in the dual-task condition were associated with worse survival. According to the researchers’ calculations, with an increase in the start time for every 0.1 seconds the probability of survival decreased by approximately 28% in the statistical model of the study.

Important: This does not mean that a delay of one tenth of a second automatically increases your personal risk of death by 28%. This indicator reflects the association within a particular study group after statistical analysis and cannot be used as a home prediction for an individual.

Participants who died during follow-up were also more likely to have slower walkingpoorer balance and less confidence in performing motor tasks.

Why the first step may be more important than it seems

To start moving, the brain needs to quickly process information, evaluate body position, maintain balance, engage leg muscles and shift weight. If a person starts out slowly or unsteadily, it may reflect a combination of several factors:

• decreased muscle strength;
• deterioration of balance;
• slow reaction;
• changes in the functioning of the nervous system;
• initial cognitive impairment;
• fear of falling or chronic pain.

That is why experts are increasingly considering walking not just as an everyday skill, but as a integral health indicator. It reflects the condition of muscles, joints, heart, nervous system, balance and cognitive functions at the same time.

Walking speed has long been considered a useful marker

The new job did not appear out of nowhere. Medical research has shown for many years that low walking speed in older adults may be associated with a higher risk of falls, hospitalization, loss of independence, and mortality.

In a large study published in JAMAwalking speed has been identified as one of the simple and informative indicators of survival in older adults. However, it remains only part of the overall assessment, and not a replacement for examination by a doctor.

What can be done in practice

The most useful application of such studies is not to try to measure yourself with a stopwatch at home, but to notice changes in time. You should consult a doctor if a person starts:

• hesitate to get up and start walking;
• frequently trip or fall;
• move noticeably slower than before;
• feel dizzy, weak or unsteady;
• afraid to leave the house because of the risk of falling;
• simultaneously complain of worsening memory, attention, or sleep.

Prevention usually includes strength exercisesbalance training, regular walking, vision correction, medication checks, pain management, blood pressure management and working with chronic conditions. For some people, evaluation by a physical therapist or geriatrician is helpful.

Main

First step speed may be a valuable indicator of overall health in older adults. But it does not predict the fate of an individual and does not replace medical diagnosis.

The study shows something different: even slight deterioration in mobility should sometimes be taken not as “well, age,” but as a reason to check muscles, balance, heart, medications, sleep and cognitive function. The body rarely sends a notification with the subject line “please take care of prevention”; it usually chooses the format of stumbling in the hallway.

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