Which gait parameter is the number of steps per minute?

Which gait parameter is the number of steps per minute?

• A. Step length
• B. Cadence
• C. Velocity
• D. Step width

Answer: (B)

Cadence is the rate at which steps are taken, measured in steps per minute. It captures how often the feet contact the ground, not how far each step travels. Step length describes the distance moved with each step, velocity is speed (how far you move in a given time), and step width is the side-to-side distance between the feet. These parameters relate through velocity = cadence × step length (with cadence in steps per minute and step length in meters, giving velocity in meters per minute). For example, a person taking 110 steps per minute with a 0.66 m step length would have a velocity of 72.6 m/min (about 1.21 m/s). Therefore, the number of steps per minute is cadence.

Cadence is the rate at which steps are taken, measured in steps per minute. It captures how often the feet contact the ground, not how far each step travels. Step length describes the distance moved with each step, velocity is speed (how far you move in a given time), and step width is the side-to-side distance between the feet. These parameters relate through velocity = cadence × step length (with cadence in steps per minute and step length in meters, giving velocity in meters per minute). For example, a person taking 110 steps per minute with a 0.66 m step length would have a velocity of 72.6 m/min (about 1.21 m/s). Therefore, the number of steps per minute is cadence.