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Is grip strength a good marker of physical performance among community-dwelling older people?

Is grip strength a good marker of physical performance among community-dwelling older people?
Is grip strength a good marker of physical performance among community-dwelling older people?
Introduction There is increasing interest in physical performance as it relates to both the current and future health of older people. It is often characterised using the Short Physical Performance Battery including assessment of gait speed, chair rises and standing balance. However this battery of tests may not be feasible in all clinical settings and simpler measures may be required. As muscle strength is central to physical performance, we explored whether grip strength could be used as a marker of the Short Physical Performance Battery. Objective To examine associations between grip strength and components of the Short Physical Performance Battery in older community dwelling men and women. Methods Grip strength measurement and the Short Physical Performance Battery were completed in 349 men and 280 women aged 63–73 years taking part in the Hertfordshire Cohort Study (HCS). Relationships between grip strength and physical performance (6m timed-up-and-go [TUG], 3m walk, chair rises and standing balance times) were analysed using linear and logistic regression, without and with adjustment for age, anthropometry, lifestyle factors and co-morbidities. Results Among men, a kilo increase in grip strength was associated with a 0.07s (second) decrease in 6m TUG, a 0.02s decrease in 3m walk time, and a 1% decrease in chair rises time (p<0.001 for all). Among women, a kilo increase in grip strength was associated with a 0.13s decrease in 6m TUG, a 0.03s decrease in 3m walk time, and a 1% decrease in chair rises time (p<0.001). Higher grip strength was associated with better balance among men (p=0.01) but not women (p=0.57). Adjustment for age, anthropometry, lifestyle and co-morbidities did not alter these results. Conclusions Grip strength is a good marker of physical performance in this age group and may be more feasible than completing a short physical performance battery in some clinical settings.
1279-7707
769–774
Stevens, P.J.
62faffb3-3695-4f52-815e-f8bf7246985d
Syddall, H.E.
a0181a93-8fc3-4998-a996-7963f0128328
Patel, H.P.
e1c0826f-d14e-49f3-8049-5b945d185523
Martin, H.J.
34384528-4b85-41c3-95dc-16ade10aaf44
Cooper, C.
e05f5612-b493-4273-9b71-9e0ce32bdad6
Aihie-Sayer, Avan
fb4c2053-6d51-4fc1-9489-c3cb431b0ffb
Stevens, P.J.
62faffb3-3695-4f52-815e-f8bf7246985d
Syddall, H.E.
a0181a93-8fc3-4998-a996-7963f0128328
Patel, H.P.
e1c0826f-d14e-49f3-8049-5b945d185523
Martin, H.J.
34384528-4b85-41c3-95dc-16ade10aaf44
Cooper, C.
e05f5612-b493-4273-9b71-9e0ce32bdad6
Aihie-Sayer, Avan
fb4c2053-6d51-4fc1-9489-c3cb431b0ffb

Stevens, P.J., Syddall, H.E., Patel, H.P., Martin, H.J., Cooper, C. and Aihie-Sayer, Avan (2012) Is grip strength a good marker of physical performance among community-dwelling older people? The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 16, 769–774. (doi:10.1007/s12603-012-0388-2).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Introduction There is increasing interest in physical performance as it relates to both the current and future health of older people. It is often characterised using the Short Physical Performance Battery including assessment of gait speed, chair rises and standing balance. However this battery of tests may not be feasible in all clinical settings and simpler measures may be required. As muscle strength is central to physical performance, we explored whether grip strength could be used as a marker of the Short Physical Performance Battery. Objective To examine associations between grip strength and components of the Short Physical Performance Battery in older community dwelling men and women. Methods Grip strength measurement and the Short Physical Performance Battery were completed in 349 men and 280 women aged 63–73 years taking part in the Hertfordshire Cohort Study (HCS). Relationships between grip strength and physical performance (6m timed-up-and-go [TUG], 3m walk, chair rises and standing balance times) were analysed using linear and logistic regression, without and with adjustment for age, anthropometry, lifestyle factors and co-morbidities. Results Among men, a kilo increase in grip strength was associated with a 0.07s (second) decrease in 6m TUG, a 0.02s decrease in 3m walk time, and a 1% decrease in chair rises time (p<0.001 for all). Among women, a kilo increase in grip strength was associated with a 0.13s decrease in 6m TUG, a 0.03s decrease in 3m walk time, and a 1% decrease in chair rises time (p<0.001). Higher grip strength was associated with better balance among men (p=0.01) but not women (p=0.57). Adjustment for age, anthropometry, lifestyle and co-morbidities did not alter these results. Conclusions Grip strength is a good marker of physical performance in this age group and may be more feasible than completing a short physical performance battery in some clinical settings.

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Published date: November 2012
Organisations: Faculty of Health Sciences

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Local EPrints ID: 338337
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/338337
ISSN: 1279-7707
PURE UUID: a822caca-9dce-4dbe-99c7-68d32b90c84d
ORCID for H.E. Syddall: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0171-0306
ORCID for H.P. Patel: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0081-1802
ORCID for C. Cooper: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3510-0709

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Date deposited: 17 May 2012 12:10
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 03:05

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Contributors

Author: P.J. Stevens
Author: H.E. Syddall ORCID iD
Author: H.P. Patel ORCID iD
Author: H.J. Martin
Author: C. Cooper ORCID iD
Author: Avan Aihie-Sayer

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