This Walking Test May Reveal Your Brain Age

Person walkingIt’s not just that walking, which is great for your heart, can decrease your dementia risk. Changes in pace and gait have been linked to increased risks of developing the condition, too, and may be considered a potential early sign of cognitive decline. Those who walked slowly at 45 saw faster brain and bodily ageing in a 2019 study, too. They had smaller brains, more white matter lesions, and a thinner outer brain layer (signs associated with older minds). “A slow walk is a problem sign decades before old age,” Professor Terrie Moffit, the senior author of the 2019 study, told King’s College London. Their lungs, teeth, and immune systems also aged faster. But how do you measure your walking speed, and what’s normal for each age group?How do I do a walking speed test?A “gait speed test,” also known as a four metre test, can help you to measure your speed.It involves measuring four metres on a level surface (some tests recommend 10m instead) and marking it out.For the four metre test, you’ll need a 10m level path, with two metres for the person to speed up to their normal pace and two to decelerate. In the 10m test, you’ll need a total of 20m (five metres to warm up and five to cool down). Time how long it takes you to reach the end of the four or 10-metre path using a stopwatch or your phone’s clock app, beginning from when you pass the lead-up area. Then, divide the number of seconds it took you to complete the course by the number of metres you walked. This figure is your pace expressed as metres per second (m/s). What’s a good walking pace for my age and gender?Less than 0.8m/s is considered a low gait speed, per the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia.This is true regardless of age. But according to 2011 research, the average walking speed by age and gender is:Women40-49: 1.39 m/s50-59: 1.31 m/s60-69: 1.24 m/s70-79: 1.13 m/s80-89: 0.94 m/sMen40-49: 1.43 m/s50-59: 1.43 m/s60-69: 1.34 m/s70-79: 1.26 m/s80-89: 0.97 m/s.What should I do if my walking speed is low?Your walking speed does not have to be set in stone. Incorporating walking into your daily routine, ie through taking the stairs or going for an after-dinner stroll, can help you to condition your muscles if you’re not used to activity, the NHS says.Listening to music, starting small, and walking with a friend can help too. If joint pain is an issue, they add, swimming is a great way to get your heart rate up – and cardiovascular fitness is a great way to minimise your risk of conditions like dementia. Related...This Eating Habit Can Be An Early Sign Of DementiaI Went From 10,000 Steps A Day To Wearing A Fracture Boot. Here's What It Taught Me About 'Healthy' WalkingIs Walking Enough Exercise? Here's What Doctors Say

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