Walking speed is one of the most studied single measures of health in older adults. Here are the numbers worth knowing.
The short version
- 1.2–1.4 m/s is normal walking speed for adults (Fritz & Lusardi, 2009).
- Under 0.6 m/s: poor health and function are more likely.
- About 0.8 m/s: life expectancy close to the median for age and sex.
- 1.0 m/s or more: survival longer than expected (Studenski et al., JAMA 2011, 34,485 older adults).
- A change of 0.05 m/s is small but meaningful; 0.10 m/s is substantial (Perera et al., 2006).
Measure it at home
Stand your phone up, walk toward it at your usual pace for 7 seconds, and Step Doctor reports your speed, cadence, step length and left–right balance in under 10 seconds.
