Relationship between the Way of Sitting Up and Abdominal Strength in Elderly Stroke Patients

Abstract

This study examines the relation between the sitting up pattern and abdominal strength in elderly stroke patients, and investigates the reliability of measured values of abdominal and grip strength. Subjects were 40 elderly stroke patients (16 males and 24 females) with the average age of 73.2 ± 8.2 years. They were divided into three groups according to their sitting up pattern; 30 patients who were positioned sidelying, and sat up in bed by supporting their body on elbow (elbow group), 6 patients who sat up without any support (abdominal muscle group), and 4 patients who could not sit up. Body height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) and grip strength were measured, and abdominal strength was also measured by the applied method using a hand grip dynamometer. The measured values of both abdominal and grip strength were found highly reliable. Abdominal strength of abdominal muscle group was significantly higher than that of elbow group, and that of elbow group was significantly higher than that of the patients who could not sit up. This suggested that the sitting up pattern of elderly stroke patients may be influenced by their abdominal strength.