Validity and normative data for thirty-second chair stand test in elderly community-dwelling Hong Kong Chinese

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Kinesiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Assessing lower body strength in the elderly is crucial for health risk evaluation.
• Culturally specific normative data are needed for accurate assessment in diverse populations.
• The 30-second chair stand test (30CST) is a potential field measure for lower body strength.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the validity of the 30CST as a field measure for lower body strength in elderly Hong Kong Chinese.
• To generate culturally specific normative values for this population.
• To assess the relationship between the 30CST, isometric strength, and habitual physical activity.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 1,038 elderly Hong Kong Chinese participated in the 30CST.
• A subsample of 143 completed isometric hip flexion and knee extension tests.
• A habitual physical activity questionnaire was administered to the subsample.

Main Results:

• The 30CST showed weak but significant correlations with isometric strength measures (r ≈ 0.3-0.4).
• The 30CST effectively differentiated between physical activity levels and age groups.
• Generated normative values are useful for Hong Kong Chinese elderly health screening.

Conclusions:

• The 30CST is a valid and practical tool for assessing lower body strength in elderly Hong Kong Chinese.
• The generated normative data are valuable for clinical screening and risk assessment.
• The strength levels of this population are lower compared to their healthier US counterparts.