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Related Experiment Videos

Test-retest strength reliability: hand-held dynamometry in community-dwelling elderly fallers.

Ching-Yi Wang1, Sharon L Olson, Elizabeth J Protas

  • 1School of Physical Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX, USA. cywang@tccn.edu.tw

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|June 6, 2002
PubMed
Summary

A hand-held dynamometer (HHD) provides reliable lower-extremity strength measurements in elderly fallers. A standardized protocol ensures consistent results for this population, aiding in strength assessment.

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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Biomechanics
  • Rehabilitation Science

Background:

  • Falls in the elderly are a significant public health concern, often linked to decreased lower-extremity strength.
  • Accurate and reliable measurement of muscle strength is crucial for fall risk assessment and intervention planning in older adults.
  • Hand-held dynamometry offers a portable and accessible method for strength assessment, but its reliability in specific populations like elderly fallers needs validation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the test-retest reliability of a standardized protocol using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD) for measuring lower-extremity muscle strength.
  • To determine if a novice tester can reliably assess strength in community-dwelling elderly individuals who have experienced falls.
  • To establish the consistency of HHD measurements for various lower-extremity muscle groups in this demographic.

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Main Methods:

  • The study involved 41 community-dwelling elderly fallers (aged 61-90 years).
  • Maximal isometric force of 8 bilateral lower-extremity muscle groups was measured twice using an HHD, with a 15-second rest between trials.
  • Within-session test-retest reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and coefficients of variation (CV).

Main Results:

  • High test-retest reliability was observed, with ICCs ranging from .95 to .99 for single trials and .97 to 1.00 for the mean of two trials.
  • No significant differences in strength values were found between the two measurement trials (P>.05).
  • Ankle muscle groups exhibited higher coefficients of variation (5.1%-7.4%) compared to knee (4.6%-5.1%) and hip (4.2%-6.3%) when using a single measurement.

Conclusions:

  • A standardized protocol with an HHD yields reliable lower-extremity strength measurements in community-dwelling elderly fallers.
  • This methodology allows even novice testers to obtain dependable strength data in this population.
  • The findings support the use of HHD for routine strength assessment in geriatric fall prevention programs.