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Predictive value of health-related fitness tests for self-reported mobility difficulties among high-functioning elderly men and women

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Abstract

Background and aims: The functional independence of elderly populations deteriorates with age. Several tests of physical performance have been developed for screening elderly persons who are at risk of losing their functional independence. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether several components of health-related fitness (HRF) are valid in predicting the occurrence of self-reported mobility difficulties (MD) among high-functioning older adults. Methods: Subjects were community-dwelling men and women, born 1917–1941, who participated in the assessment of HRF [6.1-m (20-ft) walk, one-leg stand, backwards walk, trunk side-bending, dynamic back extension, one-leg squat, 1-km walk] and who were free of MD in 1996 (no difficulties in walking 2km, n=788; no difficulties in climbing stairs, n=647). Postal questionnaires were used to assess the prevalence of MD in 1996 and the occurrence of new MD in 2002. Logistic regression analysis was used as the statistical method. Results: Both inability to perform the backwards walk and a poorer result in it were associated with risk of walking difficulties in the logistic model, with all the statistically significant single test items included. Results of 1-km walk time and one-leg squat strength test were also associated with risk, although the squat was statistically significant only in two older birth cohorts. Regarding stair-climbing difficulties, poorer results in the 1-km walk, dynamic back extension and one-leg squat tests were associated with increased risk of MD. Conclusions: The backwards walk, one-leg squat, dynamic back extension and 1-km walk tests were the best predictors of MD. These tests are recommended for use in screening high-functioning older people at risk of MD, as well as to target physical activity counseling to those components of HRF that are important for functional independence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, P.O.Box 30, FIN-33501, Tampere, Finland

    H. Pauliina Hämäläinen MSc, Jaana H. Suni, Matti E. Pasanen, Jarmo J. Malmberg & Seppo I. Miilunpalo

  2. Tampere School of Public Health, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland

    H. Pauliina Hämäläinen MSc, Jarmo J. Malmberg & Seppo I. Miilunpalo

  3. Kiipula Foundation, Vocational Training and Rehabilitation Centre, Turenki, Finland

    Seppo I. Miilunpalo

Authors
  1. H. Pauliina Hämäläinen MSc
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  2. Jaana H. Suni
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  3. Matti E. Pasanen
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  4. Jarmo J. Malmberg
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  5. Seppo I. Miilunpalo
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Correspondence to H. Pauliina Hämäläinen MSc.

Additional information

The abstract of this manuscript, with preliminary results, was presented at the 6th World Congress on Aging and Physical Activity in London, Ontario, Canada, in August 2004, and at the Finnish Conference on Medicine and Science in Sports in Helsinki, Finland, in October 2004.

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Hämäläinen, H.P., Suni, J.H., Pasanen, M.E. et al. Predictive value of health-related fitness tests for self-reported mobility difficulties among high-functioning elderly men and women. Aging Clin Exp Res 18, 218–226 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324652

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324652

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