Walking is one of the most important things we do for our quality of life. In fact, research shows it contributes more than any other physical activity to how well we live day to day. Yet one in three people over the age of 60 report having some difficulty walking.
Authors
- Helen Dawes
Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter
- Nancy E. Mayo
Distinguished James McGill Professor, School of Physical & Occupational Therapy, McGill University
As we age, gradual changes in our bodies and health can alter how we walk, often without us realising. But the way we walk, known as our gait pattern, matters more than we might think. Poor gait doesn't just make walking harder and more tiring; it can lead to joint strain, instability, and a greater risk of falls.
Think of your gait like a heart rhythm. Just as an electrocardiogram (ECG) shows whether your heart is functioning properly, your gait also has a rhythm. When that rhythm is off, it may be one of the earliest signs that you're not ageing as well as you could be.
Thanks to new technology , we can now measure gait quality more easily and precisely. One promising tool is the Heel2Toe wearable sensor . This small device attaches to your shoe and tracks the movement of your ankle as you walk, capturing your gait cycle in real time.
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A healthy step begins with a strong heel strike. Your weight then rolls across the sole of your foot, ending with a push-off from the toes. As your foot lifts, it swings forward cleanly - no dragging or scuffing. This smooth sequence creates a rhythm in your ankle movements, one that, when consistent, resembles a kind of "walking ECG".
But over time, many people unconsciously adopt less efficient movement patterns. These altered gaits may feel normal, but they're often unstable, tiring or unsafe .
Poor gait reduces confidence , increases fall risk, and can discourage people from walking at all. And the less we walk, the weaker our muscles become - making the problem worse. It's a vicious cycle.
Relearning to walk well
The good news is that we can retrain our gait .
The Heel2Toe sensor doesn't just monitor your movements - it also encourages better walking . When it detects a good step (one that begins with a strong heel strike), it delivers an audio cue as positive feedback. Over time, these cues help you rediscover a stronger, steadier walking pattern. Good gait becomes your new normal. Tools like Heel2Toe help people tune in to their body's signals and make sustainable progress.
The goal isn't just to move more - it's to move better.
Of course, being physically active is only one aspect of what it means to live well as we grow older.
To get a more complete picture of healthy ageing researchers have developed a tool that measures how often older adults experience key aspects of wellbeing. This tool - the Opal measure (Older Persons for Active Living) - goes beyond tracking what people do. It asks how they feel about their lives.
Opal can help people understand their own wellbeing and it offers policymakers and communities a way to evaluate how well their services support older citizens - not just physically, but socially and emotionally too.
For people, this means that even small improvements, like better gait, can lead to meaningful changes in how you feel: more confident, more mobile and more independent.
For communities, it's a reminder that promoting physical activity is important - but not enough. We also need programs, spaces and services that foster connection, purpose, creativity and joy.
What does 'active living' really mean?
In a 2024 international study , older adults in Canada, UK, US and the Netherlands shared what "active living" means to them - across four languages and cultural contexts.
They identified 17 distinct "ways of being" that contribute to feeling active. Physical health was just one part. Others included feeling: confident, connected, creative, energised, encouraged, engaged, happy, mentally healthy, independent, interested, mentally sharp, motivated, resilient and self-sufficient.
In other words, active living isn't just about taking (or counting) steps, it's about how you feel while taking them.
Ageing is inevitable. But ageing well? That's something we can shape - step by step.
Helen Dawes is Director of International Affairs of PhysioBiometrics Inc. she receives funding from NIHR Exeter Biomedical Resarch Council and NIHR Exeter Sustainable Health Technology Centre.
Nancy Mayo is co-founder and President of PhysioBiometrics Inc. a company that commercializes the Heel2Toe sensor to make it available for all. She has received funding from Healthy Brains for Health Lives (HBHL), McGill University, to develop and test the Heel2Toe sensor.
