Citation

Chen TB, Chou LS. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2017; 98(12): 2471-2476.

Affiliation

Department of Human Physiology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA. Electronic address: chou@uoregon.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.apmr.2017.04.003

PMID

28465222

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of muscle strength and balance control with the amount of time taken to perform sit-to-walk (STW) or turning components of Timed Up and Go test (TUG) in elderly adults DESIGN: Correlations; multiple regression models. SETTING: General community. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty elderly adults over the age of 70 years recruited from the community. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Muscle strength, balance control and TUG performance time. Muscle strength was quantified by peak joint moments during the isometric maximal voluntary contraction test for bilateral hip abductors, knee extensors, and ankle plantar flexors. Balance control was assessed with Berg Balance Scale, Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale, as well as the center of mass and ankle inclination angle derived during TUG performance.

RESULTS: We found that balance control measures were significantly associated with both STW and turning durations even after controlling for muscle strength and other confounders (STW duration: p < 0.001, turning duration: p = 0.001). Adding strength to the regression model was found to significantly improve its prediction of STW duration (F change = 5.945, p = 0.018), but not turning duration (F change = 1.03, p = 0.14).

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that poor balance control is an important factor that contributes to longer STW and turning durations on the TUG. Furthermore, strength has a higher association with STW than turning duration.

Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Aging; Balance Control; Gait; Muscle strength