2017 Volume 1 Issue 2 Pages 43-49
Purpose: The aim of this study was to undertake an overall assessment of physical function, including lower limb strength, grip strength, walking ability, balance function, and cardiorespiratory fitness, and to investigate their relationship with respiratory muscle strength and respiratory function in elderly people who need support.
Subjects: The subjects were 31 elderly women living in a community dwelling of with an average age of 86.1±4.6 years.
Method: We examined the relationships between respiratory muscle strength, respiratory function, and individual items of physical function such as femoris quadriceps strength, one-leg standing time, relaxing or maximum five-m walking speed, six-minute walking distances, timed up and go test （TUG）, and Functional Reach Test.
Results: The items showing a significant correlation with respiratory muscle strength were grip strength and femoris quadriceps strength, and six-minute walking distances. Observations: These results suggest that respiratory muscle strength reflects the gross physical strength, inclusive of lower limb strength, grip strength and cardiorespiratory fitness, of elderly people who need support, and is an easy and useful test method.
