The GaitRate iOS App is available on the Apple AppStore (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gaitrate/id1458165883) provides three app modes for gait speed measurement and estimations related to published norms for individuals 65 to 95 years of age.
The tabs at the bottom of the app provide the following options:
- Measure Mode: Measure gait speed in meters per second for different course lengths.
- Measure + Estimate Mode: Measure gait speed and get median (average) years-of-life remaining estimates. Estimates require age (65-95), gender, and usual gait speed over a four-meter course.
- Estimator Mode: Enter gait speed, along with age, and gender to get median (average) years-of-life remaining estimates.
Further details and instructions on these mode options can be found below.
Measure Mode
The measure mode allows you to measure gait speed over various distances and can be used on any population. The instructions for this mode are as follows:
- Measure and mark a safe course that matches one of the app length options (3, 4, 5 meters; 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15 feet). See Course Setup for details.
- Select Usual or Fast Gait Speed depending on the type of measurement you are conducting, considering the following uses and instructions.
- Usual Gait Speed: (most commonly measured speed).
Ask participant to walk to the other end of the course at a usual, safe, comfortable pace. - Fast Gait Speed: (Useful for tracking individual trends)
Tap fast gait to select. Ask the participant to walk to the other end of the course as fast as they feel comfortable and safe.
- Usual Gait Speed: (most commonly measured speed).
- Start and Stop timing function by tapping screen or using a volume control button. Start when participant crosses start line and Stop when end line is crossed.
- Output is time (seconds) and gait speed (meters/second).
- Touch and Hold the screen to clear results.
Measure + Estimate Mode
This mode adds median years-of-life remaining and 5-year survival estimates for older adults (ages 65-95), based on published research data. For estimates aligned with this research, enter age, gender, then measure usual gait speed on a 4-meter course. Once Age and Gender are entered, use the app like a stopwatch to measure gait speed on a 4-meter course. A Usual / Comfortable Gait Speed is required for the estimates to match the published findings.
To Measure:
- When ready, ask your participant to walk at a usual, safe, and comfortable pace.
- Tap the screen (or press a volume button) when their body first crosses into the timed zone and tap screen (or press a volume button) again when their body fully crosses out of the timed zone.
- The time and calculated gait speed will be displayed, as well as the Life Expectancy (median years-of-life remaining estimate) and Five-Year Survival (probability of surviving five years).
- Touch and Hold the screen or a volume button to Clear the result and try again.
Estimator Mode
This mode allows you to enter a previously collected gait speed measurement to calculate survival estimates for older adults (ages 65-95) based on published research In order to provide estimates based on this research, you will need age, gender, and the usual gait speed for an individual timed on a 4 meter course. Enter Age and Gender. Enter the 4 meter course gait speed. The corresponding Survival Estimates- Median Year (median years-of-life remaining estimate) and Survival Estimates- Five Year Rate (probability of surviving five years) will be displayed. Explanation of Calculations Estimate and Estimator: Output on median years-of-life remaining estimates or probability of 5-year survival for a given age, gender, and gait speed for those 65-95 years old come from published research data.
These results are based upon gait speed determinations in over 34,000 individuals enrolled in nine epidemiologic studies. Reviewing the methods of this published work will allow you to discern if your participant is similar to participants in these studies: Stephanie Studenski, et al. Gait Speed and Survival in Older Adults. JAMA 2011; 305(1):50-58. 2010. 1923. Estimates of years-of-life remaining may be a sensitive topic for some individuals. It is important to stress that these are predictions about the future based only on age, gender and walking speed, and are not declarations of certainty. Estimates such as these may be helpful in identifying a need for rehabilitation services or the value of certain preventive services whose benefit is dependent on a long survival. Other online tools allow people to input individual information (date of birth, gender) and receive life expectancy estimates, such as the Social Security administration life expectancy estimate (opens in new window)
The GaitRate iOS App is available on the Apple AppStore (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gaitrate/id1458165883) provides three app modes for gait speed measurement and estimations related to published norms for individuals 65 to 95 years of age.
The tabs at the bottom of the app provide the following options:
- Measure Mode: Measure gait speed in meters per second for different course lengths.
- Measure + Estimate Mode: Measure gait speed and get median (average) years-of-life remaining estimates. Estimates require age (65-95), gender, and usual gait speed over a four-meter course.
- Estimator Mode: Enter gait speed, along with age, and gender to get median (average) years-of-life remaining estimates.
Further details and instructions on these mode options can be found below.
Measure Mode
The measure mode allows you to measure gait speed over various distances and can be used on any population. The instructions for this mode are as follows:
- Measure and mark a safe course that matches one of the app length options (3, 4, 5 meters; 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15 feet). See Course Setup for details.
- Select Usual or Fast Gait Speed depending on the type of measurement you are conducting, considering the following uses and instructions.
- Usual Gait Speed: (most commonly measured speed).
Ask participant to walk to the other end of the course at a usual, safe, comfortable pace. - Fast Gait Speed: (Useful for tracking individual trends)
Tap fast gait to select. Ask the participant to walk to the other end of the course as fast as they feel comfortable and safe.
- Usual Gait Speed: (most commonly measured speed).
- Start and Stop timing function by tapping screen or using a volume control button. Start when participant crosses start line and Stop when end line is crossed.
- Output is time (seconds) and gait speed (meters/second).
- Touch and Hold the screen to clear results.
Measure + Estimate Mode
This mode adds median years-of-life remaining and 5-year survival estimates for older adults (ages 65-95), based on published research data. For estimates aligned with this research, enter age, gender, then measure usual gait speed on a 4-meter course. Once Age and Gender are entered, use the app like a stopwatch to measure gait speed on a 4-meter course. A Usual / Comfortable Gait Speed is required for the estimates to match the published findings.
To Measure:
- When ready, ask your participant to walk at a usual, safe, and comfortable pace.
- Tap the screen (or press a volume button) when their body first crosses into the timed zone and tap screen (or press a volume button) again when their body fully crosses out of the timed zone.
- The time and calculated gait speed will be displayed, as well as the Life Expectancy (median years-of-life remaining estimate) and Five-Year Survival (probability of surviving five years).
- Touch and Hold the screen or a volume button to Clear the result and try again.
Estimator Mode
This mode allows you to enter a previously collected gait speed measurement to calculate survival estimates for older adults (ages 65-95) based on published research In order to provide estimates based on this research, you will need age, gender, and the usual gait speed for an individual timed on a 4 meter course. Enter Age and Gender. Enter the 4 meter course gait speed. The corresponding Survival Estimates- Median Year (median years-of-life remaining estimate) and Survival Estimates- Five Year Rate (probability of surviving five years) will be displayed. Explanation of Calculations Estimate and Estimator: Output on median years-of-life remaining estimates or probability of 5-year survival for a given age, gender, and gait speed for those 65-95 years old come from published research data.
These results are based upon gait speed determinations in over 34,000 individuals enrolled in nine epidemiologic studies. Reviewing the methods of this published work will allow you to discern if your participant is similar to participants in these studies: Stephanie Studenski, et al. Gait Speed and Survival in Older Adults. JAMA 2011; 305(1):50-58. 2010. 1923. Estimates of years-of-life remaining may be a sensitive topic for some individuals. It is important to stress that these are predictions about the future based only on age, gender and walking speed, and are not declarations of certainty. Estimates such as these may be helpful in identifying a need for rehabilitation services or the value of certain preventive services whose benefit is dependent on a long survival. Other online tools allow people to input individual information (date of birth, gender) and receive life expectancy estimates, such as the Social Security administration life expectancy estimate (opens in new window)