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Is there a relationship between balance, gait performance and muscular strength in 75-year-old women?

Ringsberg, Karin ; Gerdhem, Paul LU ; Johansson, Jonas and Obrant, Karl LU (1999) In Age and Ageing 28(3). p.289-293
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To see if there is a relationship between clinical and laboratory tests of balance, muscular strength and gait in elderly women. DESIGN: A randomized population-based study. SETTINGS: Malmo, Sweden. METHODS: We investigated balance with a simple test of standing on one leg, as well as a computerized balance platform. Muscular strength was tested by computerized dynamometer. Extension and flexion of the knee and dorsiflexion of the ankle were tested. We measured the time and number of steps taken to walk a certain distance and the subjects' height and weight. PARTICIPANTS: 418 randomly selected 75-year-old women, of whom 230 took part. RESULTS: There was no relation between the computerized balance tests and any of the other... (More)
OBJECTIVE: To see if there is a relationship between clinical and laboratory tests of balance, muscular strength and gait in elderly women. DESIGN: A randomized population-based study. SETTINGS: Malmo, Sweden. METHODS: We investigated balance with a simple test of standing on one leg, as well as a computerized balance platform. Muscular strength was tested by computerized dynamometer. Extension and flexion of the knee and dorsiflexion of the ankle were tested. We measured the time and number of steps taken to walk a certain distance and the subjects' height and weight. PARTICIPANTS: 418 randomly selected 75-year-old women, of whom 230 took part. RESULTS: There was no relation between the computerized balance tests and any of the other tests. The non-computerized balance test was correlated with gait time and number of steps (r = -0.50, P<0.001 and r = -0.40, P<0.001, respectively). Tests of extension and flexion, strength of the knee and ankle dorsiflexion were related to gait, speed and number of steps. Heavy women had poorer balance when assessed by the non-computerized test (r = -0.32, P<0.001) and with the computerized, stable platform, eyes-open test (r = 0.27, P<0.001) and eyes-closed test (r = 0.44, P<0.001). The heavier an individual was, the slower her gait and the shorter her steps, despite having stronger knee muscles. CONCLUSION: There is no relationship between the simple balance tests and computerized platform tests. Muscle strength of the leg is not necessarily linked to balance, but rather to gait performance. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Age and Ageing
volume
28
issue
3
pages
289 - 293
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:10475866
  • scopus:0032919339
ISSN
1468-2834
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Clinical and Molecular Osteoporosis Research Unit (013242930), Reconstructive Surgery (013240300)
id
303dfab2-3f5c-481a-aaf2-27ac4ca84801 (old id 1114944)
alternative location
http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/28/3/289
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:34:04
date last changed
2022-03-06 01:16:46
@article{303dfab2-3f5c-481a-aaf2-27ac4ca84801,
  abstract     = {{OBJECTIVE: To see if there is a relationship between clinical and laboratory tests of balance, muscular strength and gait in elderly women. DESIGN: A randomized population-based study. SETTINGS: Malmo, Sweden. METHODS: We investigated balance with a simple test of standing on one leg, as well as a computerized balance platform. Muscular strength was tested by computerized dynamometer. Extension and flexion of the knee and dorsiflexion of the ankle were tested. We measured the time and number of steps taken to walk a certain distance and the subjects' height and weight. PARTICIPANTS: 418 randomly selected 75-year-old women, of whom 230 took part. RESULTS: There was no relation between the computerized balance tests and any of the other tests. The non-computerized balance test was correlated with gait time and number of steps (r = -0.50, P&lt;0.001 and r = -0.40, P&lt;0.001, respectively). Tests of extension and flexion, strength of the knee and ankle dorsiflexion were related to gait, speed and number of steps. Heavy women had poorer balance when assessed by the non-computerized test (r = -0.32, P&lt;0.001) and with the computerized, stable platform, eyes-open test (r = 0.27, P&lt;0.001) and eyes-closed test (r = 0.44, P&lt;0.001). The heavier an individual was, the slower her gait and the shorter her steps, despite having stronger knee muscles. CONCLUSION: There is no relationship between the simple balance tests and computerized platform tests. Muscle strength of the leg is not necessarily linked to balance, but rather to gait performance.}},
  author       = {{Ringsberg, Karin and Gerdhem, Paul and Johansson, Jonas and Obrant, Karl}},
  issn         = {{1468-2834}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{289--293}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Age and Ageing}},
  title        = {{Is there a relationship between balance, gait performance and muscular strength in 75-year-old women?}},
  url          = {{http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/28/3/289}},
  volume       = {{28}},
  year         = {{1999}},
}