Mobility and gait disorders in older people: An approach from primary health care

Description

Mobility and gait disorders are frequent problems in the elderly population and are rarely evaluated in outpatient medical consultation. Gait speed has been described as the main indicator of morbidity and mortality in this group of patients and for this reason it is considered essential to assess the degree of mobility limitation, sarcopenia and frailty. There are different batteries of tests that can be applied in the outpatient clinic and allow to quickly and easily assess the degree of mobility limitation. The following article reviews mobility disorders, their impact on the health of the elderly population and the way in which these can be evaluated by the clinician in the primary health care centers.