Relationship between Time to Rise from the Floor and Physical Function in Elderly Females: Comparison of Young-old and Old-old

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relationship between the act of getting up from the floor and physical function in the early and late elderly living in the community. The time needed to get up, lower- and upperlimb and trunk muscle strength, flexibility, standing balance, and walking ability were measured, involving 82 early and 79 late elderly. Each physical function was compared between the early and late elderly, and its relationship with the time needed to get up was analyzed. The results showed that each physical function decreased in the late compared with the early elderly. On multiple regression analysis, a tendency for those with higher trunk muscle strength and standing balance scores to get up from the floor more quickly was shown in the early elderly, suggesting the necessity of comprehensively improving the dynamic balance, as well as the strength and coordination of related lower-limb muscles, rather than increasing individual physical functions, to promote the ability of the late elderly to get up from the floor quickly.