Gait kinematic and kinetic characteristics among older adults with varying degrees of frailty: a cross-sectional study

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in gait kinematics and kinetics among pre-frail, frail, and non-frail older adults during routine walking tasks. A total of 106 older adult participants were classified into frail, pre-frail, and non-frail groups based on the Fried frailty scale. Kinematic and kinetic data were acquired via a three-dimensional gait analysis system. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was employed to assess the differences in gait kinematics and kinetics among the groups, followed by Bonferroni post-hoc tests. MANCOVA revealed significant differences in peak ankle plantar flexion, ankle range of motion (ROM), knee heel strike angle, and hip toe-off angle among the groups on the right side (P < 0.002). On the left side, significant differences were found in peak ankle plantar flexion, ankle ROM, and hip toe-off angle (P < 0.002). However, no significant differences in gait kinetics were observed among the three groups (P > 0.002). There is a weak correlation between gait kinematic parameters and dynamic postural stability. Compared with non-frail individuals, frail older adults reduced peak ankle plantar flexion, ankle ROM, and knee heel strike angle during walking. In contrast, the hip toe-off angle was found to be increased in the frail group.