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Values for timed limb coordination tests in a sample of healthy older adults
Desiree Joy Lanzino1, Megan N Conner, Kelli A Goodman
1Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, USA. lanzino.desiree@mayo.edu
Background:
timed limb coordination tests are reliable measures of motor performance but many lack published reference values.
Objective:
to determine mean values for timed tests in an older cohort, examining associations with anthropometric characteristics, handedness, gender and age.
Design:
cross-sectional.
Setting:
community.
Subjects:
sixty-nine healthy adults divided into three groups: 60-69, 70-79 and 80+ years.
Methods:
height, weight and time to complete five repetitions of finger-to-nose, pronation-supination, mass grasp, opposition and heel-on-shin were recorded. Performances were statistically compared with anthropometric characteristics, handedness and across age groups and gender.
Results:
for all tests, height negatively correlated with speed (r = -0.26 to -0.41). Weight negatively correlated with performance of two tests (r = -0.25 to -0.35). When covariates were controlled, men performed heel-on-shin faster than women. The youngest group completed upper extremity tests faster than the oldest. Adults in their 70 s completed finger-to-nose and pronation-supination faster than persons aged 80+ years.
Conclusions:
we report mean values for five clinical tests of timed limb coordination that may aid in identifying mild deficits in otherwise healthy older adults.
