The cadence (steps per minute) unique to each person is measured very accurately, and even the slightest decrease in daily walking speed can be accurately detected from changes in the cadence.
For example, for the person in the upper left graph, 124 steps/min and 128 steps/min are the most frequent in both December and January,
so 126 steps/min is the preferred cadence, and the person’s preferred walking speed can be calculated as 5.7km/h.
- As shown in the graph, a person’s unique cadence (easy walking rhythm) occurs frequently in their daily life and has a narrow fluctuation range, so it is possible to clearly identify each person’s unique cadence.
- Walking speed is [cadence * step length] (definition, speed per minute). The walk ratio, defined as [step length/cadence], remains constant for a certain period of time, and if read as [step length = cadence * walk ratio], walking speed can be calculated as [cadence squared * walk ratio].
- Since the change in walk ratio is much smaller than the change in cadence, [the rate of change in walking speed]
[rate of change of cadence squared]
[rate of change in cadence * 2] (Note: Because the rate is small). It is true that the walk ratio differs slightly from person to person, but it is the same for the same person, so changes can be measured accurately.
- The walk ratio is around 0.006, so although there is some error, walking speed can be calculated quite accurately.
(126 steps/min) * (126 steps/min) * 0.006 * 60 (hourly conversion)/1000 (km conversion) = 5.7km/hour
For the person in the upper right graph, 128 steps/min was the most frequent in both December and January, and a little less than 128 steps/min was the preferred cadence, with a walking speed of 5.9km/h.
The distribution of cadences in the graph directly reflects the various cadences which occur during continuous walking in daily life, because the measurement accuracy of each cadence is extremely high.
However, this phenomenon is only seen during continuous walking.
When walking not continuously, the speed is determined depending on the situation at the time, so a large variation occur, and the speed and cadence often change. The measurements will also be very inaccurate. The rationale for this inaccuracy is complex to explain, so the explanation is omitted here.
Why do certain cadences occur so frequently?
Walking just 10% faster than usual makes people feel even more tired quickly. On the other hand, when walking 10% slower, you will feel very slowly. Therefore, when we are not particularly conscious of speed, we tend to unconsciously walk at a cadence and speed that is comfortable for us.
Everyone feels that a person has an “preferred walking speed” or “usual walking speed”, and Fig.1 is a visual representation of this, it shows the obvious. It was also verified that the variation in speed during continuous walking is surprisingly narrow.
When people walk without being aware of their speed, they unconsciously choose their speed very sensitively. Many academic papers on this subject have already been published.
If there are many peaks in the graph, how should you look at it?
We have confirmed that certain cadences occur particularly frequently with a probability of over 70%.
If not, how should you look at the graph?
- If you often walk with other people, the cadence and speed of walking at that time will be measured frequently, so multiple peaks may appear on the graph. If you have a habit of walking briskly and do a lot of exercise, more than one peak may appear on the graph. The same possibility exists in living environments where there are many steep slopes.
- Since you know your own individual circumstances, such as spending a lot of time walking with others or having a habit of walking quickly, in that case, exclude peaks with slow cadence and peaks with fast cadence. As mentioned earlier, each cadence in the graph closely reflects the cadence that actually occurred.
- If you look at trends over a much longer period of time, no matter how many peaks there are, as walking ability declines, the peaks will gradually move to lower levels. To put it in an extreme way, there are no frail elderly people who can walk briskly. Since the position of the peak (cadence) is accurate, even a slight decrease in walking ability will be reflected in the graph.
Measure intensively for about 2 to 3 months at the same season every year.
If opening the app is a hassle, you don’t necessarily need to continue measuring every day.
In the summer, we often lose our walking speed due to the heat. The comfortable walking speed changes somewhat depending on the season. Therefore, it is important to compare the same period every year so as not to miss any small changes.
If you only measure a few days, there is a risk that it will be affected by the circumstances at the time, it is better to measure for 20 days or more in which you walked at least 3,000 steps, preferably 5,000 steps (as measured by opening the app). Please count the number of days excluding days when you did not go out due to rain.
If your preferred cadence has dropped to around 110 steps/minute, keep measuring and try to maintain and recover your walking speed!
Be especially careful in the summer.
Speeds tend to slow down in the summer. What you need to pay attention to is whether you have recovered to the same level in the fall as your speed were in the spring.
To do this, it is desirable to measure and confirm the cadence and speed in spring, summer, and autumn.
If your cadence drops to close to 100 steps/minute, you may be quite frail.
Delaying this period is the key to a long and healthy life.
It is said that people become frail starting from their legs.
Just when you feel it is starting to decline! A big advantage is that you can check the slight recovery.
Have you changed the way you walk without even realizing it?
Are you only stepping forward with your toes while your center of gravity remains behind you?
If you push forward from your hips and take a big step, your stride will naturally become wider and your cadence will become faster. This will shift your center of gravity forward and allow you to land on your heels.
(We are not a medical institution, so please check with a specialist for accurate findings)
Get into the habit of repeating this on both sides alternately. It may be a little difficult to walk at first, and it may take some time to get used to it, but after a while, you will see an improvement in your cadence and walking speed.
This app does more than just measure decreases in walking speed. A major advantage is that even the slightest recovery in walking speed can be detected, allowing you to see the results of your recovery efforts and gaining confidence in your recovery.
Verifying the effectiveness of recovery methods
Until now, when trying to recover with supplements or exercise, it was not possible to confirm the recovery effect numerically. This app allows you to clearly check its effectiveness numerically.
Even a slight recovery of about 3% can be confirmed. If you can confirm your recovery, you can maintain your motivation to recover.
to stay young
After the age of 50, everyone’s walking speed gradually decreases. Some people start losing speed around the age of 40.
The sooner you deal with it, the easier it will be to recover. After the age of 50, check for changes every few years. After the age of 60, it is better to check in annual units. If you feel that you are being passed more often while walking normally, please check back frequently. Recovery is possible no matter how old you are.