CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 75Balance, Gait, and Falls PreventionFrailty in Older AdultsNutrition and Health in Aging

Leg Strength or Velocity of Movement: Which Is More Influential on the Balance of Mobility Limited Elders?

Open access
Mayson, Douglas J., Kiely, Dan K., LaRose, Sharon I., Bean, Jonathan F.·2008·American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
DOI 10.1097/phm.0b013e31818dfee5PMC PMC2731581
Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine which component of leg power (maximal limb strength or limb velocity) is more influential on balance performance in mobility limited elders. DESIGN: In this cross-sectional analysis we evaluated 138 community-dwelling older adults with mobility limitation. Balance was measured using the Unipedal Stance Test, the Berg Balance Test (BERG), the Dynamic Gait Index, and the performance-oriented mobility assessment. We measured one repetition maximum strength and power at 40% one repetition maximum strength, from which velocity was calculated. The associations between maximal estimated leg strength and velocity with balance performance were examined using separate multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: Strength was found to be associated [odds ratio of 1.06 (95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.11)] with performance on the Unipedal Stance Test, whereas velocity showed no statistically significant association. In contrast, velocity was consistently associated with performance on all composite measures of balance (BERG 14.23 [1.84-109.72], performance-oriented mobility assessment 33.92 [3.69-312.03], and Dynamic Gait Index 35.80 [4.77-268.71]). Strength was only associated with the BERG 1.08 (1.01-1.14). CONCLUSIONS: Higher leg press velocity is associated with better performance on the BERG, performance-oriented mobility assessment, and Dynamic Gait Index, whereas greater leg strength is associated with better performance on the Unipedal Stance Test and the BERG. These findings are likely related to the intrinsic qualities of each test and emphasize the relevance of limb velocity.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1097/phm.0b013e31818dfee5

Cites

3 of 3 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Lower extremity pneumatic resistance training equipment provides an accurate and valid way to assess muscle power output.

    “Evaluation of muscle power output using lower extremity pneumatic resistance training equipment has recently emerged as an accurate and valid muscle power assessment modality, particularly as this methodology can reliably capture the force and velocity components of muscle power output(18, 30).”

    From Skeletal Muscle Power (2012) · cites this paper as [18]

    The Methods (Impairment Measures; page unavailable) describe a pneumatic leg press that calculates peak power and report that similar methods have shown high reliability. But the Discussion (Limitations; page unavailable) says velocity was derived rather than measured directly, and the paper does not establish the claimed accuracy or validity of capturing both force and velocity. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Fielding et al. observed an 84% greater increase in leg press power in the high-velocity training group compared to the low-velocity group after 16 weeks in older women with self-reported disability.

    “After 16 weeks of training, they observed an 84% greater increase in leg press power in the high velocity training group compared to the low velocity group.”

    From Skeletal Muscle Power (2012) · cites this paper as [18]

    The Methods describe a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data, and the Conclusion reports associations between leg press velocity and balance measures; neither reports a 16-week comparison of training groups. Searches for Fielding and the claimed 84% increase found no passage in our copy addressing that result. (LLM, conf=0.75)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 29

  1. [1]Tinetti ME Doucette J Claus E Risk factors for serious injury during falls by older persons in the community J Am Geriatr Soc 1995 43 1214 21 7594154
  2. [2]Tinetti ME Baker DI McAvay G A multifactorial intervention to reduce the risk of falling among elderly people living in the community N Engl J Med 1994 331 821 7 8078528
  3. [3]Matsumura BA Ambrose AF Balance in the elderly Clin Geriatr Med 2006 22 395 412 16627085
  4. [4]Bean JF Vora A Frontera WR Benefits of exercise for community-dwelling older adults Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004 85 S31 S42 15221722
  5. [5]Shigematsu R Rantanen T Saari P Motor speed and lower extremity strength as predictors of fall-related bone fractures in elderly individuals Aging Clin Exp Res 2006 18 320 4 17063067
  6. [7]Chan BK Marshall LM Winters KM Incident fall risk and physical activity and physical performance among older men: The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study Am J Epidemiol 2007 165 696 703 17194749
  7. [8]Bean JF Kiely DK Herman S The relationship between leg power and physical performance in mobility-limited older people J Am Geriatr Soc 2002 50 461 7 11943041
  8. [9]Sayers SP Guralnik JM Thombs LA Effect of leg muscle contraction velocity on functional performance in older men and women J Am Geriatr Soc 2005 53 467 71 15743291
  9. [10]Thelen DG Schultz AB Alexander NB Effects of age on rapid ankle torque development J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 1996 51 M226 M232 8808994
  10. [11]Quadri P Tettamanti M Bernasconi S Lower limb function as predictor of falls and loss of mobility with social repercussions one year after discharge among elderly inpatients Aging Clin Exp Res 2005 17 82 9 15977454
  11. [12]Guralnik JM Simonsick EM Ferrucci L A short physical performance battery assessing lower extremity function: Association with self-reported disability and prediction of mortality and nursing home admission J Gerontol 1994 49 M85 M94 8126356
  12. [13]Folstein MF Folstein SE McHugh PR “Mini-mental state”. A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician J Psychiatr Res 1975 12 189 98 1202204
  13. [16]Herman S Kiely DK Leveille S Upper and lower limb muscle power relationships in mobility-limited older adults J Gerontol A Biol Sci 2005 60 476 80 15933387
  14. [17]Cuoco A Callahan DM Sayers S Impact of muscle power and force on gait speed in disabled older men and women J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2004 59 1200 6 15602076
  15. [18]Callahan D Phillips E Carabello R Assessment of lower extremity muscle power in functionally-limited elders Aging Clin Exp Res 2007 19 194 9 17607086
  16. [19]Vellas BJ Wayne SJ Romero L One-leg balance is an important predictor of injurious falls in older persons J Am Geriatr Soc 1997 45 735 8 9180669
  17. [20]Shumway-Cook A Baldwin M Polissar NL Predicting the probability for falls in community-dwelling older adults Phys Ther 1997 77 812 19 9256869
  18. [22]Berg KO Wood-Dauphinee SL Williams JI Measuring balance in the elderly: Validation of an instrument Can J Public Health 1992 83 suppl 2 S7 S11 1468055
  19. [23]Tinetti ME Performance-oriented assessment of mobility problems in elderly patients J Am Geriatr Soc 1986 34 119 26 3944402
  20. [24]Riddle DL Stratford PW Interpreting validity indexes for diagnostic tests: An illustration using the Berg balance test Phys Ther 1999 79 939 48 10499967
  21. [27]Vellas BJ Rubenstein LZ Ousset PJ One-leg standing balance and functional status in a population of 512 community-living elderly persons Aging (Milano) 1997 9 95 8 9177591
  22. [29]van den Bogert AJ Pavol MJ Grabiner MD Response time is more important than walking speed for the ability of older adults to avoid a fall after a trip J Biomech 2002 35 199 205 11784538
  23. [30]Thelen DG Muriuki M James J Muscle activities used by young and old adults when stepping to regain balance during a forward fall J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2000 10 93 101 10699557
  24. [31]Morley JE Mobility performance: a high-tech test for geriatricians J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2003 58 712 14 12902528
  25. [32]Studenski S Perera S Wallace D Physical performance measures in the clinical setting J Am Geriatr Soc 2003 51 314 22 12588574
  26. [33]Bandinelli S Lauretani F Boscherini V A randomized, controlled trial of disability prevention in frail older patients screened in primary care: The FRASI study. Design and baseline evaluation Aging Clin Exp Res 2006 18 359 66 17167299 PMC2659809
  27. [34]Coppin AK Shumway-Cook A Saczynski JS Association of executive function and performance of dual-task physical tests among older adults: Analyses from the InChianti study Age Ageing 2006 35 619 24 17047008 PMC2645642
  28. [35]Springer S Giladi N Peretz C Dual-tasking effects on gait variability: The role of aging, falls, and executive function Mov Disord 2006 21 950 7 16541455
  29. [36]Faulkner KA Redfern MS Cauley JA Multitasking: Association between poorer performance and a history of recurrent falls J Am Geriatr Soc 2007 55 570 6 17397436

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Mayson, D. J., Kiely, D. K., LaRose, S. I., & Bean, J. F.
Affiliations
Memorial University of Newfoundland (CA)
Corresponding author
Bean, Jonathan F.
ORCID
Venue
American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published
2008-12
Volume
87
Issue
12
Pages
969-976
ISSN
0894-9115 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1097/phm.0b013e31818dfee5
PMC
PMC2731581
OpenAlex
W1979528702
Cited by
75
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 7
FWCI
11.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Aging (K23AG019663)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Geriatrics and Gerontology › Frailty in Older Adults
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
Keywords
leg strength, leg power, balance performance, mobility limitations, older adults, Berg Balance Scale, Dynamic Gait Index, Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment, one-repetition maximum, leg press
MeSH terms
Accidental Falls, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cross-Sectional Studies, Postural Balance, Exercise Therapy, Female, Gait, Humans, Male, Multivariate Analysis, Logistic Models, Mobility Limitation, Muscle Strength

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review