Fall Risk Calculator / Gait speed
Gait Speed Calculator
Turn a timed walk into gait speed in m/s, ft/s and mph, and compare it with cut-offs and norms for your age and sex.
Your result
Enter your numbers and press the button. Your result appears here.
How gait speed is measured
Walk at your usual pace along a straight course. Start timing as your first foot crosses the start line and stop when it crosses the finish. A 4-metre or 10-metre course is common.
Gait speed (m/s) = distance (m) ÷ time (s) mph = m/s × 2.237
Example: 4 metres in 3.8 seconds = 1.05 m/s. Slow gait speed predicts falls, disability and survival in older adults.
Average walking speed by age
| Age | Men (m/s) | Women (m/s) |
|---|---|---|
| 40–49 | 1.43 | 1.39 |
| 50–59 | 1.43 | 1.31 |
| 60–69 | 1.34 | 1.24 |
| 70–79 | 1.26 | 1.13 |
| 80–99 | 0.97 | 0.94 |
Mean usual walking speed, Bohannon and Andrews 2011 meta-analysis of 41 studies (23,111 people).
Common questions
What is a normal walking speed for older adults?
About 1.2 to 1.3 m/s in the 60s and 70s. Below 0.8 m/s is considered slow.
How can I lower my risk of falling?
Strength and balance exercise such as tai chi, a medicine review, eye checks, safe footwear and removing trip hazards at home.
Should I talk to a doctor?
Yes, if the result worries you or if you have new symptoms. These tools support, but do not replace, a clinical assessment.
Sources
- US Social Security Administration. Actuarial life table, 2022 period life table (2025 Trustees Report).
- Levine ME et al. An epigenetic biomarker of aging for lifespan and healthspan. Aging 2018;10:573–591; Liu Z et al. PLoS Med 2018;15:e1002718 (and correction).
- Morris JF, Temple W. Spirometric "lung age" estimation for motivating smoking cessation. Prev Med 1985;14:655–662. Quanjer PH et al. ECSC lung volumes and forced ventilatory flows. Eur Respir J 1993;6 Suppl 16:5–40.
- CDC. STEADI: Stay Independent brochure. Morse JM et al. A prospective study to identify the fall-prone patient. Soc Sci Med 1989;28:81–86.
- Bohannon RW, Andrews AW. Normal walking speed: a descriptive meta-analysis. Physiotherapy 2011;97:182–189. Studenski S et al. Gait speed and survival in older adults. JAMA 2011;305:50–58.
- Mahoney FI, Barthel DW. Functional evaluation: the Barthel Index. Md State Med J 1965;14:61–65. Shah S et al. J Clin Epidemiol 1989;42:703–709.
- Morley JE et al. A simple frailty questionnaire (FRAIL). J Nutr Health Aging 2012;16:601–608. Searle SD et al. A standard procedure for creating a frailty index. BMC Geriatr 2008;8:24.
- Kivipelto M et al. Risk score for the prediction of dementia risk in 20 years among middle aged people. Lancet Neurol 2006;5:735–741. Tombaugh TN, McIntyre NJ. J Am Geriatr Soc 1992;40:922–935.