Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the physical fitness and dynamic balancing ability of middle-aged and elderly women living in the community. One hundred fifty-eight subjects were divided into two groups: 57 (aged 63.5±8.9 yr) who had experienced falls ("fallers") and 101 (aged 61.9±7.0 yr) who had not ("nonfallers"). There were no differences in BMI, %Fat or BMD between the two groups. The fallers had significantly poorer grip strength, knee extension strength, stepping and reaction time than the nonfallers. The knee flexion strength, dorsal flexion strength and plantar flexion strength of the fallers were about 94% those of the nonfallers. There were no significant differences in flexibility and balance between the fallers and the nonfallers. The results obtained from forward and backward induced-sway balance tests for the fallers were inferior to those of the nonfallers, and the height to which the fallers lifted a leg in the upright position was significantly higher than that of the nonfallers. It is concluded that lower limb strength, agility, kinesthesia and dynamic balancing ability in fallers are inferior to those in nonfallers.
