Relationship between Getting up Ability and Physical Function of the Elderly

Abstract

[Purpose] We quantitatively assessed the sitting up ability of community-dwelling elderly persons and investigated its relationships with upper and lower limb strength and trunk function. [Subjects] The subjects were 7 men and 12 women (average age, 76.3 ± 8.3) attending a day-care rehabilitation facility. [Method] We measured grip strength (upper limb function), quadriceps femoris strength (lower limb function), sitting balance (trunk function) and walking speed and analyzed their correlations with the time required for sitting up. [Results] We found significant correlations for sitting up time with sitting balance, grip strength and walking speed. [Conclusion] The results suggest that the sitting up movement of elderly persons with comparatively high levels of independence of activities of daily living involves upper limb and trunk function.