Document Type

Thesis - NSU Access Only

Title

Idiopathic Senile Gait: Are They Fast Enough to Cross the Street?

Authors

Omar H. Llaguna, Nova Southeastern University

Degree Name

Master of Physical Therapy (MPT)

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Department

College of Health Care Sciences - Physical Therapy Department

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1998

Publisher

Nova Southeastern University

NSUWorks Citation

Omar H. Llaguna. 1998. Idiopathic Senile Gait: Are They Fast Enough to Cross the Street?. Master's thesis. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, College of Health Care Sciences - Physical Therapy Department. (131)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hpd_pt_stuetd/131.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine whether the average, healthy, elderly person can cross a simulated street within the time allowed by crosswalk timers in the Metro-Dade and Broward county area.

Subjects: 22 Independent Living elderly residents of Epworth Village Retirement Community in Hialeah, Florida.

Methodology: Survey instrument used to screen pathology which adversely affect gait. Subjects completed four gait trials to determine preferred and fast gait speed on an indoor 6.6 m walkway and an outdoor simulated 6.6 m street.

Results: At preferred walking speeds, 0% of subjects were able to cross the simulated street within the time constraints of a downtown crosswalk timer, 13.6% within the time constraints of an average crosswalk timer, and 72.7% within the time constraints of a residential crosswalk timer.

Conclusion: The average, healthy, elderly person is unable to safely cross a street within the time constraints of Metro-Dade and Broward County area crosswalk timers.

Disciplines

Physical Therapy