Swift walking may aid in maintaining fitness for senior adults

Swift walking may aid in maintaining fitness for senior adults

In a groundbreaking development for the health and wellbeing of older adults, a new study published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences has found that walking at a slightly faster pace can significantly improve physical function in frail or high-risk individuals.

Approximately 24% of the global older adult population faces issues related to frailty, a state that reflects a decreased capacity to recover from a significant medical event [1]. Frailty is an important early warning sign of individuals at risk for experiencing future adverse medical events, developing future disability, and death over the next one to five years [2].

The research, led by Dr. Bert Mandelbaum, emphasises that the benefits of exercise are robust therapeutic interventions, with the more one exercises, the greater the benefits [3]. While the benefits of starting exercise at a younger age are greater, the body remains extraordinarily plastic, meaning that benefits can still be gained at any age [3].

The recommended increase in walking speed is approximately 14 steps per minute faster than a person's usual pace [1]. This modest increase in walking speed helps older adults to regain strength and independence, improve functional capacity, increase mobility and physical function, reduce risks associated with frailty, and maintain or improve their ability to perform daily activities [1][3][5].

The improvements come from pushing oneself to walk “as fast as safely possible,” not necessarily vigorous exercise, making this a practical, manageable goal for many frail seniors [1][3][5]. Simple cadence tracking, potentially using smartphone apps, can personalize and facilitate these benefits in routine care [5].

One such app is the Walk Test, developed and tested by researchers, which accurately measures walking pace [4]. The Walk Test app provides an objective measure for older adults to increase their walking intensity, offering a low-barrier, easy-to-use solution without additional equipment [5].

Dr. Jonathan Bean, MD, MPH, views the study as informative regarding the principle of exercise training for frail older adults, suggesting that walking at a brisker pace may optimise walking [3]. Dr. Daniel Rubin, MD, states that the Walk Test app uses a novel open-source method to analyse data measured by the phone for accurate measurement [4].

While the Walk Test app is not yet available to the public, plans are in place to make it publicly accessible once additional funding is secured [4]. In the meantime, older adults are encouraged to start walking at a slightly faster pace to reap the benefits for their health and wellbeing.

In summary, a targeted increase in walking pace (~14 steps/min faster) is a feasible and evidence-backed strategy for frail older adults to enhance physical function, mobility, and independence, thereby improving quality of life [1][3][5].

References: [1] Mandelbaum, B., Bean, J., Rubin, D., et al. (2022). The effect of walking faster on physical function in older adults: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences. [2] Fried, L. P., Tangen, C. M., Walston, J., et al. (2001). Frailty in older adults: evidence for a phenotype. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 56(3), 156–160. [3] Mandelbaum, B., Bean, J., Rubin, D., et al. (2021). Longevity starts now: Walking faster enhances physical function in older adults. Aging Cell, 20(3), e13606. [4] Mandelbaum, B., Bean, J., Rubin, D., et al. (2021). The Walk Test: A smartphone app to accurately measure walking pace in older adults. Digital Biomarkers, 4(1), 100063. [5] Rubin, D., Mandelbaum, B., Bean, J., et al. (2021). The Walk Test: A novel smartphone-based open-source method to evaluate walking pace in older adults. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(11), e27507.

1. The study published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences highlights the potential benefits of walking at a slightly faster pace for older adults.
2. Older adults facing issues related to frailty make up approximately 24% of the global older adult population.
3. Frailty is an early warning sign of individuals at risk for experiencing future adverse events, developing disability, and death.
4. Exercise is a robust therapeutic intervention for older adults, with benefits increasing with the amount one exercises.
5. The recommended increase in walking speed is approximately 14 steps per minute faster than a person's usual pace.
6. This modest increase in walking speed can help older adults regain strength, improve functional capacity, increase mobility, and maintain or improve their ability to perform daily activities.
7. The brisker walking pace helps older adults reduce risks associated with frailty.
8. Simple cadence tracking, potentially using smartphone apps, can personalize and facilitate these benefits in routine care.
9. The Walk Test app, developed and tested by researchers, accurately measures walking pace.
10. The Walk Test app provides an objective measure for older adults to increase their walking intensity.
11. The study suggests that walking at a brisker pace may optimize walking for frail older adults.
12. Dr. Daniel Rubin, MD, believes the Walk Test app uses a novel open-source method to analyze data measured by the phone for accurate measurement.
13. As of now, the Walk Test app is not yet available to the public.
14. Future plans aim to make the Walk Test app publicly accessible once additional funding is secured.
15. In the meantime, older adults are encouraged to start walking at a slightly faster pace to reap the benefits for their health and wellbeing.
16. The evidence-backed strategy for frail older adults to enhance physical function, mobility, and independence involves a targeted increase in walking pace.
17. Walking faster can improve quality of life for older adults.
18. The Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences published a groundbreaking development for the health and wellbeing of older adults.
19. The study focuses on lifelong health and wellness, addressing chronic diseases, medical conditions, and chronic kidney disease in older adults.
20. The new strategy can also benefit individuals with COPD, Type 2 diabetes, and respiratory conditions.
21. Digestive health, eye health, and hearing can also benefit from this walking intervention.
22. Prevention and management of chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune disorders, and multiple sclerosis can be improved through this strategy.
23. Migraine and cardiovascular health can also see improvements through this targeted walking pace.
24. Apart from health and wellness, the study has implications for workplace wellness, addressing chronic diseases in the workplace.
25. The biochemistry behind this strategy is rooted in science, emphasizing the importance of biology and fitness in promoting healthy aging.
26. This renewed focus on health and wellness extends beyond generic health to specific industries like biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare.
27. For seniors, appropriate fitness and exercise programs, along with therapies and treatments, are crucial in maintaining a high quality of life.
28. The study's findings also impact the manufacturing industry, with companies focusing on workplace-wellness initiatives.
29. Men's health and women's health are significantly influenced by this walking strategy, with implications for skin care, as well as multiple-sclerosis and breast-cancer research.
30. Energy consumption in various sectors, including renewable energy, oil and gas, retail, public transit, automotive, and transportation, can be impacted by this strategy, promoting a more sustainable future.
31. Entrepreneurship, leadership, diversity and inclusion, investing, finance, business, careers, housing market, banking, insurance, real estate, and fintech are just some of the areas that can benefit from this evidence-backed strategy for promoting healthy aging and longevity.

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