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Validation of lower extremity performance tests for determining the mobility limitation levels in community-dwelling older women

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Abstract

Background and aims: Assessment of mobility status among community-dwelling older people is important for preventing further deterioration of mobility and identifying changes in mobility as early as possible. We attempted to identify the optimal cut-off values for eight lower extremity performance (LEP) tests in community-dwelling older women with mobility limitation (ML) levels. Methods: The ML levels of 433 community-dwelling older women, mean age 73.2 years (SD 5.7, range 65–93) were classified according to self-reports. ML levels were identified by face-to-face interviews and according to self-reported difficulty in walking one-quarter of a mile or climbing 10 steps without resting. The LEP tests comprised one-legged stance, tandem stance, functional reach, tandem walk, alternate step, five chair sit-to-stands, timed up-and-go (TUG) and usual gait speed. Receiver-operating characteristic curves were obtained for all scales to assess optimal cut-off values. Results: The optimal cut-off value of 6.52 (s) for the TUG test was shown by the highest sensitivity (74%) and specificity (71%) in the discrimination of no ML from moderate ML, whereas the optimal cut-off value of 1.05 (m/s) in the usual gait speed test showed the highest sensitivity (73%) and specificity (67%) in the discrimination of moderate ML from severe ML. Conclusions: Among community-dwelling older women, TUG and usual gait speed had the highest sensitivity and specificity in discriminating ML levels.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan

    Mi-Ji Kim, Satoshi Seino, Maeng-Kyu Kim, Noriko Yabushita, Tomohiro Okura, Junko Okuno & Kiyoji Tanaka PhD

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  1. Mi-Ji Kim
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  2. Satoshi Seino
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  3. Maeng-Kyu Kim
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Correspondence to Kiyoji Tanaka PhD.

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Kim, MJ., Seino, S., Kim, MK. et al. Validation of lower extremity performance tests for determining the mobility limitation levels in community-dwelling older women. Aging Clin Exp Res 21, 437–444 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03327443

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