2004 Volume 19 Issue 2 Pages 95-99
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between knee extension muscle strength and walking ability in the elderly patients. Isometric knee extension muscle strength and unaided walking rate were measured in 78 elderly inpatients (age: 75.7 ± 7.7). Walking ability was classified into three groups: unaided walking in the hospital (n=50), unaided walking in inpatient's room (n=10), not capable of walking (n=18). The knee extension muscle strength in the group of unaided walking in the hospital was higher than those of the group of unaided walking in inpatient's room and not capable of walking. The logistic regression analysis showed that the knee extension muscle strength was a critical factor affecting walking ability. In the case in which the muscle force was below 0.5, the group of unaided walking in the hospital began to decrease. The minimum value of the group of unaided walking in the hospital was 0.28. In the case in which the muscle strength was below 0.3, the group of unaided walking in inpatient's room began to decrease. The minimum value of the group of unaided walking in inpatient's room was 0.13. It was indicated that the leg muscle strength is important as an explainatory factor of the walking ability of the elderly patients.
