Accelerate Your Health: A Minor Adjustment Could Yield Substantial Wellness Gains
Walking Faster May Reduce Frailty Risk in Older Adults
A new study published in PLOS One has found that increasing walking speed by about 14 steps per minute can help reduce the risk of frailty in older adults. This simple change, which can be easily measured with an app or fitness tracker, can lead to substantial improvements in functional capacity and physical function.
The study, led by Dr. Daniel Rubin, an associate professor of anesthesia and critical care at the University of Chicago Medical Center, involved older adults classified as either frail or prefrail. They were asked to take part in structured walking programs, with a device to measure cadence fitted to their thighs.
One group was told to walk "as fast as safely possible," while the other was told to maintain a comfortable pace. The results showed that those who walked faster had substantially better improvements in mobility and endurance compared to those who maintained a comfortable walking pace.
For example, someone walking normally at 80 steps per minute who increases to 94 steps per minute can experience meaningful gains in daily physical capacity, such as walking longer distances and maintaining independence.
Walking cadence is an accessible, measurable indicator for personalized exercise programs to counteract frailty and its associated risks like falls and hospitalization. The researchers emphasize that even modest increases in walking intensity through step cadence represent a simple, practical intervention for improving the health and functional status of older adults.
The 14-step threshold is important because it gives a clear target for older adults to increase their walking intensity. Walking roughly 100 steps per minute can help retirees go for longer distances without getting tired or having to sit down.
Researchers are developing an app called Walk Test for more accurate measurements, which will be available after further development and scaling. This app will provide older adults with a convenient and accessible way to monitor their walking speed and ensure they are meeting the recommended target.
In summary, aiming for about 14 extra steps per minute relative to an individual's usual comfortable walking cadence is the evidence-based target to reduce frailty risk and enhance physical function in older adults, based on the clinical trial data analyzed in the PLOS One study.
Older adults can improve their functional capacity and physical function by adhering to a structured walking program that increases their walking speed, which can be easily monitored using an app or fitness tracker. This increase in walking speed, targeting about 14 extra steps per minute, can potentially counteract the risks of frailty and aging.
The study on walking cadence suggests that simple, practical interventions promoting health and wellness, such as fitness and exercise, can lead to meaningful improvements in the health and well-being of older adults.
