@article{ref1,
title="Static one-leg standing balance test as a screening tool for low muscle mass in healthy elderly women",
journal="Aging clinical and experimental research",
year="2021",
author="Khanal, Praval and He, Lingxiao and Stebbings, Georgina K. and Onambele-Pearson, Gladys L. and Degens, Hans and Williams, Alun G. and Thomis, Martine and Morse, Christopher I.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Identification of simple screening tools for detecting lower skeletal muscle mass may be beneficial for planning effective interventions in the elderly. AIMS: We aimed to (1) establish a threshold for one-leg standing balance test (OLST) time for low muscle mass, and (2) test the ability of that threshold to assess muscular impairments in a poor balance group. <br><br>METHODS: Eyes-open OLST (maximum duration 30 s) was performed with right and left legs in 291 women (age 71 ± 6 years). OLST time was calculated as the sum of the OLST time of right and left legs. Fat-free mass (FFM), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), fat mass, biceps brachii and vastus lateralis sizes; handgrip strength (HGS), elbow flexion maximum torque (MVC(EF)) and knee extension maximum torque (MVC(KE)) were measured. Muscle quality was calculated as MVC(KE)/FFM and physical activity was assessed by questionnaire. Low muscle mass was defined as SMM(relative) of 22.1%, a previously established threshold for pre-sarcopenia. <br><br>RESULTS: The OLST threshold time to detect low muscle mass was 55 s (sensitivity: 0.63; specificity: 0.60). The poor balance group (OLST < 55 s) had higher fat mass (3.0%, p < 0.001), larger VL thickness (5.1%, p = 0.016), and lower HGS (- 10.2%, p < 0.001), MVC(EF) (- 8.2%, p = 0.003), MVC(KE) (- 9.5%, p = 0.012), MVC(KE)/FFM (- 11.0%, p = 0.004) and physical activity (- 8.0%, p = 0.024) compared to the normal balance group. While after adjusting age, the differences exist for HGS, fat mass and VL thickness only. <br><br>DISCUSSION: An OLST threshold of 55 s calculated as the summed score from both legs discriminated pre-sarcopenic characteristics among active, community-dwelling older women with limited potential (sensitivity 0.63, specificity 0.60). <br><br>CONCLUSION: OLST, which can be performed easily in community settings without the need for more complex muscle mass measurement, may help identify women at risk of developing sarcopenia.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1594-0667",
doi="10.1007/s40520-021-01818-x",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40520-021-01818-x"
}