Title
Older Adults with Weaker Muscle Strength Stand up from a Sitting Position with More Dynamic Trunk Use.
Abstract
The ability to stand up from a sitting position is essential for older adults to live independently. Body-fixed inertial sensors may provide an approach for quantifying the sit-to-stand (STS) in clinical settings. The aim of this study was to determine whether measurements of STS movements using body-fixed sensors yield parameters that are informative regarding changes in STS performance in older adults with reduced muscle strength. In twenty-seven healthy older adults, handgrip strength was assessed as a proxy for overall muscle strength. Subjects were asked to stand up from a chair placed at three heights. Trunk movements were measured using an inertial sensor fixed to the back. Duration, angular range, and maximum angular velocity of STS phases, as well as the vertical velocity of the extension phase, were calculated. Backwards elimination using Generalized Estimating Equations was used to determine if handgrip strength predicted the STS durations and trunk kinematics. Weaker subjects (i.e., with lower handgrip strength) were slower during the STS and showed a larger flexion angular range and a larger extension angular range. In addition, weaker subjects showed a greater maximum angular velocity, which increased with lower seat heights. Measurements with a single inertial sensor did reveal that older adults with lower handgrip strength employed a different strategy to stand up from a sitting position, involving more dynamic use of the trunk. This effect was greatest when elevating body mass. Trunk kinematic parameters were more sensitive to reduced muscle strength than durations.
Year
DOI
Venue
2018
10.3390/s18041235
SENSORS
Keywords
Field
DocType
physical function,physical performance test,chair stand,sit to stand transfer,wearables,inertial sensors,accelerometers,gyroscopes
Physical function,Angular velocity,Kinematics,Accelerometer,Electronic engineering,Vertical velocity,Engineering,Sitting,Physical medicine and rehabilitation,Muscle strength,Trunk
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
18
4.0
1424-8220
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
2
0.45
3
Authors
5
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Rob C. van Lummel120.45
Jordi Evers220.45
Martijn Niessen320.45
Peter J. Beek47915.62
Jaap H. van Dieën5243.85