地域在住の女性高齢者における年齢，生活空間，運転習慣の有無，および体力・運動能力間の関連

―年代別の比較―

抄録

　The impact of age, living space, and driving on physical fitness and motor abilities in the elderly may vary across different age groups. This study aimed to examine the associations between age, living space, driving, and physical fitness and motor abilities using structural equation modeling to elucidate the relationships among these factors. The study included 88 early-stage elderly women aged 65 to 74 years (70.9 ± 2.5 years) and 169 late-stage elderly women aged 75 years and older (81.0 ± 3.7 years). Physical fitness and motor abilities were measured through tests including hand grip strength, knee extension strength, standing on one leg with eyes open and using functional reach, 10-m maximal walking, cross-step moving on four spots, and hip displacement in the anteroposterior direction. The analysis found no significant relationships among the factors in the early-stage group. However, in the late-stage group, significant associations emerged between age and living space with physical fitness and motor abilities (−0.36, 0.22). Furthermore, using Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient, a significant correlation was observed between Living Space Assessment (LSA) and both knee extension strength and hip joint mobility. While driving did not show a direct impact, age and living space notably influenced at least lower limb strength and hip strategy, emphasizing the importance of these factors in maintaining motor abilities in late-stage elderly women.