Balance Ability and Gait Speed in Female with Knee Osteoarthritis

¹ Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health and Sport Science, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia
² Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Thailand
³ School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Thailand

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is commonly associated with impairments in balance and walking ability, which progressively worsen with age. This study aimed to describe balance ability using the Single Leg Stance Test (SLST) and gait speed using the 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), and to examine the correlation between these measures. A cross-sectional study was conducted among females aged 50–79 years with clinically diagnosed KOA. SLST and 10MWT were assessed and analyzed across three age groups (50–59, 60–69, and 70–79 years). SLST performance declined with advancing age, with mean ± SD values of 17.28 ± 9.40 s, 12.66 ± 8.30 s, and 10.07 ± 5.80 s, respectively. Similarly, gait speed decreased with age, with values of 1.05 ± 0.17 m/s, 1.00 ± 0.17 m/s, and 0.92 ± 0.14 m/s. A significant positive correlation was found between SLST and 10MWT (r = 0.33, p < 0.05). These findings indicate that females with KOA experience progressive declines in balance ability and gait speed, with a positive association between the two functional measures. Assessing both parameters in clinical practice is essential for early identification of functional limitations and for guiding individualized rehabilitation strategies in this population.