@article{ref1,
title="Changes in physical activity levels and relationship to balance performance, gait speed, and self-rated health in older Swedish women: a longitudinal study",
journal="Aging clinical and experimental research",
year="2021",
author="Papp, Marian E. and Grahn-Kronhed, Ann Charlotte and Rauch Lundin, Hans and Salminen, Helena",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND AND AIM: Physical activity levels in older people often decrease and may mean impaired physical functioning leading to an increased fall risk. The aim of this study was to investigate self-reported change in physical activity dose and deterioration in balance performance, gait speed, and self-rated health (SRH) in older women between two time points in a follow-up study.
METHODS: A cohort of community-living women, aged 69-79 years (n = 351) were evaluated by questionnaire and clinical tests on balance, gait speed, and SRH at baseline. One hundred and eighty-six women were followed-up by these tests 8.5 years after inclusion. The non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for the analysis.
RESULTS: The greatest changes were seen in one-leg standing time (OLST) with eyes closed (- 60%) and eyes open (- 42%). The population was divided into high exercise (HE, n = 49) and low exercise (LE, n = 51) groups. At baseline the HE group had an OLST of 19 s with eyes open and 3 s with eyes closed. In the LE group, these values were 7.3 s and 2 s. At follow-up, differences between HE and LE concerning tandem walk forwards (steps) (HE = 8.5; LE = 2.5) and backwards (HE = 11; LE = 3.5) emerged. The HE group estimated SRH (VAS-scale) 30 mm higher at baseline and 17 mm higher at follow-up than the LE group.
CONCLUSION: Greater physical activity seems to be an important predictor for maintaining physical function and SRH in older women. Language: en
",
language="en",
issn="1594-0667",
doi="10.1007/s40520-021-02016-5",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40520-021-02016-5"
}