Associations between age, concerns or history of falling, and various gait parameters are evident. Limited research, however, exists on how such variables moderate the age-related decline in gait characteristics. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the moderating effects of concerns of falling (formerly referred to as fear of falling), history of falls & diseases, and sociodemographic characteristics on changes in gait characteristics with increasing age in the elderly. In this individual participant level data re-analysis, data from 198 participants (n = 125 females) from 60 to 94 years of age were analysed (mean 73.9, standard deviation 7.7 years). Dependent variables were major spatiotemporal gait characteristics, assessed using a capacitive force measurement platform (zebris FDM-T). Age (independent variable) and the moderating variables concerns of falling (FES-I), gender/sex, history of falls and fall-related medical records, number of drugs daily taken, and body mass index were used in the statistical analysis. Hierarchical linear mixed moderation models (multilevel analysis) with stepwise (forward) modelling were performed. Decreases of gait speed (estimate = −.03, equals a decrease of 0.03 m/s per year of ageing), absolute (− 1.4) and gait speed-normalized (−.52) stride length, step width (−.08), as well as increases in speed normalized cadence (.65) and gait speed variability (.15) are all age-related (each p < .05). Overall and specific situation-related concerns of falling (estimates: −.0012 to −.07) were significant moderators. History of potentially gait- and/or falls-affecting diseases accelerated the age-related decline in gait speed (−.002) and its variability (.03). History of falls was, although non-significant, a relevant moderator (in view of increasing the model fit) for cadence (.058) and gait speed (−.0027). Sociodemographics and anthropometrics showed further moderating effects (sex moderated the ageing effect on stride length, .08; height moderated the effect on the normalised stride length, .26; BMI moderated the effects on step width, .003). . Age-related decline in spatiotemporal gait characteristics is moderated by concerns of falling, (non-significantly) by history of falls, significantly by history of diseases, and sociodemographic characteristics in 60–94 years old adults. Knowing the interactive contributions to gait impairments could be helpful for tailoring interventions for the prevention of falls. Re-analysis of [21–24].

中文翻译：

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60-94 岁成年人的时空步态特征与年龄相关的下降受到跌倒、跌倒和疾病史以及社会人口学-人体测量学特征的关注

年龄、关注点或跌倒史与各种步态参数之间的关联是显而易见的。然而，关于这些变量如何缓和与年龄相关的步态特征下降的研究有限。本研究的目的是调查跌倒担忧（以前称为跌倒恐惧）、跌倒和疾病史以及社会人口学特征对老年人步态特征变化的调节作用。在这个个体参与者层面的数据再分析中，分析了 198 名参与者（n = 125 名女性）的数据，年龄在 60 至 94 岁之间（平均 73.9，标准差 7.7 年）。因变量是主要的时空步态特征，使用电容力测量平台 (zebris FDM-T) 进行评估。在统计分析中使用了年龄（自变量）和跌倒的调节变量（FES-I）、性别/性别、跌倒史和跌倒相关医疗记录、每日服用的药物数量和体重指数。执行具有逐步（正向）建模的分层线性混合调节模型（多级分析）。步态速度降低（估计值 = -.03，等于每年老化降低 0.03 m/s）、绝对 (- 1.4) 和步态速度标准化 (-.52) 步长、步宽 (-.08) ，以及速度归一化步频 (.65) 和步态速度变异性 (.15) 的增加都与年龄有关（每个 p < .05）。对跌倒的总体和具体情况相关的担忧（估计值：-.0012 至 -.07）是重要的调节因素。潜在步态和/或跌倒影响疾病的历史加速了与年龄相关的步态速度下降 (-.002) 及其变异性 (.03)。跌倒的历史虽然不显着，但是节奏 (.058) 和步态速度 (-.0027) 的相关调节器（鉴于增加模型拟合）。社会人口统计学和人体测量学显示出进一步的缓和作用（性别缓和了对步长的老化影响，0.08；身高缓和了对标准化步长的影响，0.26；BMI 缓和了对步宽的影响，0.003）。. 60-94 岁成年人的时空步态特征的年龄相关下降受跌倒的担忧、（不显着）跌倒史、疾病史和社会人口统计学特征的影响。了解步态障碍的交互作用有助于制定预防跌倒的干预措施。重新分析[21-24]。