Association of balance, anthropometric measurements, fall risk, and awareness with quality of life in older females according to hypertensive status.

Falls and their consequences are perhaps the greatest moderators of quality of life (QoL) among older adults with hypertension. However, limited studies have been conducted to identify associations between fall risk and awareness, anthropometric, balance, and QoL among older women with different blood pressure patterns within the Pakistani population. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between anthropometric measurements, postural balance (PB), fear of falling, fall risk awareness, and QoL in older females with hypersensitive status in Lahore, Pakistan.

Dual-task gait test provides limited additional value for fall prediction in care-requiring older adults: A prospective study.

Aim: Decline in cognitive and motor functions is apparent in care-requiring older adults. The dual-task method assesses both functions simultaneously by observing changes in task performance; thus, the dual-task method might accurately reflect the fall risk. This study aimed to examine the predictive validity of the dual-task method for fall-risk assessment in care-requiring older adults.

External Validation and Update of Minimal Important Change in the 6-Minute Walk Test in Hospitalized Patients With Subacute Stroke.

Objective: To investigate the external validation of the previously reported minimal important change (MIC) in the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and update it for patients with subacute stroke hospitalized in rehabilitation unit.

Design: Longitudinal study.

Setting: Rehabilitation unit of a neurosurgical hospital.

Echo intensity of the superficial part of the medial infrapatellar fat pad and medial meniscal extrusion are associated with knee symptoms in community-dwelling older adults.

Purpose: Knee pain is a characteristic symptom of early-stage knee osteoarthritis. Recently, the association between knee symptoms and infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) degeneration has garnered attention. This study aimed to clarify the association between ultrasound-derived size and echo intensity (EI) in the IFP and knee symptoms.

Association of Social Network with Physical Function Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Rural Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Purpose: As the number of older adults in society increases, their social roles and networks, as well as their physical function, decrease. This study aimed to clarify the association between social networks and physical function among people aged ≥ 60 years in rural Thailand.

Patients And Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Photharam District, Ratchaburi Province, Thailand.

Applied Assessment Method for Varus Thrust during Walking in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis Using Acceleration Data Measured by an Inertial Measurement Unit.

We developed a novel quantitative method to assess varus thrust during walking using acceleration data obtained from an inertial measurement unit (IMU). This study aimed to examine the reliability of the developed index and to evaluate its ability to distinguish patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) with varus thrust from healthy adults. Overall, 16 patients with knee OA and 16 healthy adults walked on a treadmill with IMUs attached to the tibial tuberosity and lateral femoral condyle.

Use of the reliable change index to evaluate the effect of a multicomponent exercise program on physical functions.

Aims: Using the reliable change index (RCI), we aimed to examine the effect of a multicomponent exercise program on the individual level.

Methods: Overall, 270 adults (mean age, 78 years) completed a multicomponent physical exercise program (strength, aerobic, gait, and balance) for 40 min, 1-2 times per week, continued up to 1 year at a daycare center. Effectiveness was assessed using grip, ankle, knee, and hip strength; Timed Up & Go (TUG); Berg Balance Scale (BBS); gait speed; and 6-min walking distance.

Influence of ultrasound focus depth on the association between echo intensity and intramuscular adipose tissue.

Introduction/aims: Attenuation of the ultrasound (US) wave is a serious limitation of echo intensity (EI) on B-mode US. The aim of this study was to determine whether the focus depth of US images influences the depth-dependent attenuation of EI and the relationship between EI and intramuscular adipose tissues (IntraMAT).

Methods: The rectus femoris (RF) and vastus intermedius (VI) of the right thigh were studied in 135 adults (92 older, 43 younger).

Usefulness of gait parameters obtained from inertial sensors attached to the lower trunk and foot for assessment of gait performance in the early postoperative period after total knee arthroplasty.

Background: This study was performed to (i) compare gait parameters obtained from inertial sensors attached to the lower trunk and foot between patients in the early postoperative period after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and healthy age- and sex-matched controls and (ii) elucidate the association between the gait parameters and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Method: The gait performance of 19 patients who had undergone TKA was assessed using inertial sensors and PROMs obtained from the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) 1 week before hospital discharge. The patients walked along a 15-m walkway and we calculated the following gait parameters: walking speed, coefficient of variation (CV) of stride time, unbiased autocorrelation coefficient (AC), harmonic ratio (HR), and symmetry index (SI).

The association between fear of falling and occurrence of falls: a one-year cohort study.

Background: Both multiple fall experiences and fear of falling (FoF) would make people susceptible to another fall; however, the associations are unknown. This study investigates the association of FoF with fall occurrence among older adults according to their fall history.

Methods: In this study, we adopted a longitudinal observational design.

Association between knee extensor force steadiness and postural stability against mechanical perturbation in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Objective: Lower extremity force steadiness has been shown to decrease with aging and neuromotor dysfunction and to be associated with physical function and fall. Although patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) experience decreased force steadiness, whether the extent of force steadiness differs according to target force or whether this steadiness is associated with postural control remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the force steadiness while steadily exerting low and moderate levels of knee extensor force between individuals with and without PD and to examine the association between force steadiness and postural instability against mechanical perturbation in PD.

Association between Abnormal Gait Patterns and an Elevated Degree of Pain after Daily Walking: A Preliminary Study.

This study aimed to investigate whether abnormal gait patterns are associated with experiencing an elevated degree of pain after daily walking. In this preliminary, cross-sectional study, 223 community-dwelling older adults were assessed for pain experienced after daily walking using a simple question that involved asking the subject about their past experiences of an elevated degree of pain after walking for 400 m or more. Gait patterns were assessed using the Comprehensive Gait Assessment using InerTial Sensor score (C-GAITS score), derived from the data measured by Inertial sensors attached to the lower trunk and heel when subjects walked along a 15 m walkway at a self-selected preferred speed.

Changes in Muscle Thickness and Echo Intensity in Chronic Stroke Survivors: A 2-Year Longitudinal Study.

Background And Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify 2-year longitudinal changes in the muscle thickness (MT) and echo intensity (EI) of the abdominal, thigh, and lower limb muscles in chronic stroke survivors.

Methods: This study included 15 chronic stroke survivors aged 74.1±9.

A Cross-Sectional Study on the Association between Body Mass Index and Frailty According to Sex in Elderly Patients with Disabilities from an Elderly Day-Care Center.

The association between body mass index (BMI) and frailty in elderly patients with disabilities is unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between BMI and frailty in the elderly with disabilities according to sex. This cross-sectional study included 280 elderly patients with disabilities from an elderly daycare center.

Concurrent validity of the step time and walking speed obtained from the smartphone application CareCoaching in independent, community-dwelling older adults.

[Purpose] In this study, we verified the validity of the step time and walking speed obtained from the smartphone gait analysis application CareCoaching. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 66 independent, community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older who performed a 10-m walking test twice each under preferred- and slow-speed conditions. We concurrently measured gait motions using CareCoaching and the OptoGait system for reference data.

Cut-off Values for Lower Limb Muscle Thickness to Detect Low Muscle Mass for Sarcopenia in Older Adults.

Purpose: Ultrasound-based prediction methods for the detection of low muscle mass for sarcopenia in older adults have been explored previously; however, the muscle that most accurately predicts it is unclear. This study aimed to clarify prediction accuracy and cut-off values for ultrasound-derived thigh and lower leg muscle thickness (MT) to detect low skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) in older adults and to estimate cut-off values based on two standard deviations (SD) below younger adult means for the corresponding muscles as an early detection tool for site-specific low muscle mass.

Methods: This study included 204 community-dwelling older (64 males, 140 females, mean age: 75.

Differences in muscle thickness and echo intensity between stroke survivors and age- and sex-matched healthy older adults.

Objective: The stroke survivors exhibit change in muscle quantity and quality compared to healthy older adults. This study aimed to compare the muscle thickness (MT) and echo intensity (EI) values of individual muscles between stroke survivors and age- and sex-matched healthy older adults.

Methods: In total, 27 stroke survivors and 34 healthy older adults participated in this study.

Development and persistence of fear of falling relate to a different mobility functions in community-dwelling older adults: one-year longitudinal predictive validity study.

Background: Fear of falling (FoF) is a common psychological problem in community-dwelling older adults. However, which mobility function relate to newly developed FoF and persistent FoF are unknown.

Aims: We aimed to clarify which baseline mobility function is an independent predictor of one-year change in FoF.

Effect of improvement in quadriceps strength asymmetry on trunk movement asymmetry after total knee arthroplasty.

Background: Patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) demonstrate trunk movement asymmetry during walking; this asymmetry is associated with disability and quadriceps strength asymmetry.

Research Question: What are the differences between trunk movement asymmetries before and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and associations between the changes in trunk movement asymmetry and quadriceps strength asymmetry?

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 27 patients (mean age, 71.0 years; women, 85.