Citation

Pennathur A, Contreras LR, Ikpe O, Bader J. Proc. Hum. Factors Ergon. Soc. Annu. Meet. 2009; 53(18): 1235-1238.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/154193120905301815

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Among all older adult groups in the US, older Mexican American adults report the most functional limitation in activities of daily living. Upper extremity functional reaches and range of motion measures in older Mexican American adults may help explain their functional limitations and task performance in activities of daily living. However, there is little information on functional reaches and ranges of motion of older Mexican American adults, and how age and gender may influence their reach capability. Therefore, the objectives of this paper are to determine the effects of age and gender of older Mexican American adults on functional reaches and range of motion measures. Stature and 20 functional reaches and ranges of motion were measured in 250 (125 females and 125 males) older Mexican American adults recruited randomly from 3500 older Mexican American adults in a retired senior volunteers program. Regression analyses indicate that age and gender have significant cross-sectional effects on several important functional reaches and ranges of motion in older Mexican American adults. Insights on product design and living space considerations for older adults based on age-related functional performance changes are discussed.

Language: en