Item Details

title

Lower Extremity Strength and its Association with Physical Function and Disability

author

Hovda III, Theodore James

abstract

The aims of this study were 1) to determine if the relationship between isometric lower extremity strength and 5 indices of physical performance was non-linear and 2) to examine a simple model of the disablement process in older adults. Forty-six (34 females, 12 males) elderly (81.6 +/- 0.9 years) individuals living in two retirement communities completed a comprehensive physical and psychosocial testing battery. Transformed strength summary score was significantly correlated with preferred (r = .420, p = .006) and fast (r = .462, p = .002) gait velocity, the timed up and go (r = -.340, p = .026), and modified Guralnik score (r = .461, p = .002); but not with 5 timed chair rises (r = -.219, p = .157). None of the relationships between strength and physical performance were non-linear. Strength, in addition to all physical performance measures, was significantly correlated with self-reported physical disability (r = .435-.715). A factor analysis was used to create a single mobility score from the 5 physical performance measures. Lower extremity strength was significantly correlated with this mobility score (r = .420, p = .006), and the mobility score was significantly correlated with self-reported physical disability (r = .696, p < .001). After controlling for age and sex, strength was related to self-reported disability (Standardized b weight = .580, p = .002) but the relationship was attenuated when we included mobility in the model (Standardized b weight = .421, p = .010), indicating that mobility was a partial mediator in the relationship between strength and self-reported physical disability. In conclusion, lower extremity strength was a significant contributor to both physical function and self-reported disability. Mobility, or the ability to move effectively in society, partially mediated the relationship between strength and disability, suggesting that both strength and mobility are important components of the disablement process. These data have implications for researchers and health care professionals seeking to design and implement interventions to ameliorate the disability problem in society.

subject

Disability

Lower Extremity Strength

Physical Performance

contributor

hovdtj0@wfu.edu (authorEmail)

Anthony P. Marsh, Ph. D. (committee member)

Shannon L. Mihalko, Ph. D. (committee member)

Stephen P. Messier, Ph. D. (committee member)

creator

Hovda III, Theodore James

date

2008-09-28T10:54:12Z (accessioned)

2010-06-18T18:58:22Z (accessioned)

2003-06-07 (available)

2008-09-28T10:54:12Z (available)

2010-06-18T18:58:22Z (available)

2002 (issued)

degree

null (defenseDate)

Health & Exercise Science (discipline)

Wake Forest University (grantor)

MS (level)

identifier

hovdatj_05_2002.pdf

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/14757 (uri)

migration

etd-06072002-141156 (oldETDId)

rights

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide. (accessRights)

I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to Wake Forest University or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. (license)