The influence of trunk muscle strength on walking velocity in elderly people with sarcopenia

[Purpose] Sarcopenia increases the risk of falls and fractures. However, its relationship with walking, which is the generation mechanism of falls, has not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to clarify the trunk muscle strength and the characteristics of walking, in elderly people with sarcopenia. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 40 elderly people aged 65 years and over. The participants were able to walk without assistance and were attending outpatient rehabilitation or community day-care centers. The assessment and measurement items included: the presence or absence of sarcopenia (using the diagnostic criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia), lower limb and trunk muscle strength, and characteristics of walking. The participants were divided into two groups depending on the presence or absence of sarcopenia, and a comparison was made between the two groups. [Results] The participants in the sarcopenia group had significantly lower trunk extension muscle strength as compared to the participants in the non-sarcopenia group. In addition, the hip joint maximum flexion moment, ankle joint maximum plantar flexion moment, and walking velocity of participants in the sarcopenia group were significantly lower than those in the non-sarcopenia group. [Conclusion] This study revealed that weakness of the trunk muscle strength causes a decrease in walking velocity in elderly people with sarcopenia.