title: Strength, Static Balance, Physical Activity, and Age Predict Maximal Gait Speed in Healthy Older Adults From a Rural Community: A Cross-Sectional Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gait speed is related to physical function in older adults. This cross-sectional study examined the best predictors of maximal gait speed (MGS) among physical abilities, and general factors in healthy, rural community-dwelling older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  MGS, muscle strength, and postural sway were measured in 55 community-dwelling participants (age, 72.1 ± 6.8, range 61-87 years; 72.7% women). Two stepwise regressions were used to find MGS predictors in two models: physical abilities and global.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Strength of knee extensors with 60° of knee flexion (KStrength60°) and maximal distance in the anterior-posterior direction with eyes closed explained 50.2% of MGS variance (p < .05) in the physical abilities model. KStrength60°, age, and level of physical activity explained 63.9% of MGS variance (p < .05) in the global model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regardless of the model, KStrength60° was the best predictor of MGS in rural female older adults. Future research should examine the generalization of these findings to rural male older adults.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Sports Science, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain and the Health and Applied Sciences Department, INEFC-Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aranda-García
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Busquets
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Planas
authors.forename: Joan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Prat-Subirana
authors.forename: Rosa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Angulo-Barroso
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012424:Rural Population; D013030:Spain