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Sometimes I go walking at the mall with my Grandma. She's 77 years old but still pretty spry. I have noticed in the last year that her walking speed has slowed way down. She seems in good health otherwise. Should I enourage her to try and speed up?

The way we walk is called our gait pattern. Natural changes occur in our gait as we age. By the time we're 65 years old, some of these changes become noticeable. With each passing decade, the changes are more obvious.

Men tend to become more stooped or bent forward and stop swinging their arms. Women adopt more of a waddling gait, most likely cause by hip muscle weakness. Both men and women decrease their step length in order to slow down. A shorter, wider base of support may be a natural way to reduce the risk of falling.

Encouraging your grandmother to walk faster may be possible. More likely she needs some specific exercises to help improve her joint motion, muscle strength, and balance. Loss of ankle motion is a key factor in gait, speed, and balance. Painful joints from arthritis can also make a difference.

A medical evaluation may be the next step. If there isn't a medical reason for the changes in the way she walks, then see a physical therapist. The therapist can offer practical suggestions for things your grandmother can do for herself to improve her gait and possibly prevent loss of balance and falls.

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