ArticleThe journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences2022
Motor and Physical Function Impairments as Contributors to Slow Gait Speed and Mobility Difficulty in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.
Article in The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Virtual Reality-Based Rehabilitation to Improve Mobility and Prevent Falls in Older People With Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: Evidence Synthesis and Development of a Geriatric-Specific Framework.Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing · 2026Pooled it
- A call to action for blood flow restriction training in older adults with or susceptible to sarcopenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in physiology · 2022Pooled it
- Gait Speed Modifies Efficacy of Home-Based Exercise for Falls in Older Adults With a Previous Fall: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.Physical therapy · 2025Trial
- Associations of Midlife Gait Speed and Muscle Performance With Falls in Later Life: Secondary Analysis of the MIDUS Cohort.JMIR aging · 2026Article
- A sensorimotor function construct to assess mild cognitive impairment risk.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2026Article
- Multidimensional associations of physical performance, balance, wellness and daily activities with frailty in older adults with coexisting frailty and diabetes.Journal of clinical nursing · 2026Article
- Sensorimotor Impairment and Incident Dementia in the US Medicare Beneficiaries.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2026Article
- The predictive power of brain-predicted age and leg strength on mobility decline in aging: findings from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2025Article
- Therapeutic exercise following lumbar spine surgery: a narrative review.North American Spine Society journal · 2025Article
- Association of sensory and motor impairments with dementia: a cross-sectional analysis in US older adults.BMC geriatrics · 2025Article
- Smartphone-Based Analysis for Early Detection of Aging Impact on Gait and Stair Negotiation: A Cross-Sectional Study.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Exploring the Role of Frenkel Exercises in Enhancing Dynamic Balance and Motor Function in the Aged With Neurological Disorders: A Systematic Review.Journal of aging research · 2025Review
- Sensory and motor deficits as contributors to early cognitive impairment.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2024Article
- Development of a Three-Finger Adaptive Robotic Gripper to Assist Activities of Daily Living.Designs · 2024Article
- Characterizing Fall Circumstances in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Mixed Methods Approach.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2023Article
- Correlation between Power Elbow Flexion and Physical Performance Test: A Potential Predictor for Assessing Physical Performance in Older Adults.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
- Multidimensional Outcomes of IV Thrombolysis in Minor Ischemic Stroke: Motor, Psychocognitive, and Dependence.Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMotor function affects ability to perform daily activities and maintain independence. Yet, the interrelatedness of upper and lower extremity motor impairments and the magnitude of their contribution to slow gait and mobility difficulty are not well investigated.
methodsParticipants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (N = 728, aged 50-99) completed motor and physical function tests including grip and knee extension strength, pegboard, finger tapping, standing balance, chair stands, fast-paced 400-m walk, and usual gait speed. Slow gait was defined as usual gait speed <1.0 m/s. Mobility difficulty was defined as self-reported difficulty walking ¼ mile or climbing stairs. Structural equation modeling examined the interrelationships of motor measures and their contributions to slow gait and mobility difficulty, adjusting for demographics and comorbidities.
resultsPoorer manual dexterity (-0.571 standard deviation [SD] units, p < .001) and lower muscle strength (upper and lower extremity; -0.447 SD units, p = .014) were most strongly associated with slow gait speed, followed by slower chair stand pace (-0.195 SD units, p = .002) and greater lap time variation (0.102 SD units, p = .028). Lower muscle strength (-0.582 SD units, p = .001) was most strongly associated with mobility difficulty, followed by slower chair stand pace (-0.322 SD units, p < .001), slower gait speed (-0.247 SD units, p < .001), and poorer standing balance (-0.190 SD units, p = .043).
conclusionsComponents of manual dexterity and strength were the strongest correlates of slow gait and mobility difficulty in mid-to-late life. Longitudinal studies examining relationships between changes in these motor parameters and mobility are needed to elucidate possible causal effects.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.