Abstract
Purpose Reduced functional mobility is a risk factor for falls. The Timed Up and Go test is a complex measurement tool for functional mobility. Our aims were to assess the functional mobility of: (a) community-living elderly who were participating in an exercise programme (n = 40; mean age = 73.7 years), (b) community-living elderly who were physically inactive (n = 40; mean age = 74.1 years), and (c) institutionalized elderly (n = 40; mean age = 73.5 years) and to compare the results with cut-off values for risk of fall. Materials and methods After measuring functional mobility, one-way independent ANOVAs and sample t-tests were used for analysis. Results The functional mobility of the active participants was better than that of the inactive (p < .001) and institutionalized participants (p < .001). There was no significant difference between the inactive and institutionalized participants (p = .990). The functional mobility of the active participants was better, whereas the functional mobility of the inactive participants was worse than the cut-off value of 13.5 s for risk of fall for community-living elderly. The functional mobility of the institutionalized participants did not differ from the 15-s reference value for predicting risk of fall. Conclusion The results indicate that regular physical activity has a positive effect on maintaining functional mobility among both community-living and institutionalized elderly individuals.
Highlights
The elderly are the fastest growing age group worldwide, where falling is the most common cause of their fractures, long-lasting immobilization, and loss of independence [1, 2]
Using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, the first thing is to assess the functional mobility in three groups: (a) community-living elderly who were participating in a regular exercises programme, (b) community-living elderly who were physically inactive, and (c) institutionalized elderly who were living in a nursing home; and to compare the results of the TUG tests to cut-off values for risk of falling published in the geriatric literature
The aims of this study were to assess the functional mobility of three groups: (a) community-living elderly who were participating in a regular exercises programme, (b) community-living elderly who were physically inactive, and (c) institutionalized elderly who were living in a nursing home
Summary
The elderly are the fastest growing age group worldwide, where falling is the most common cause of their fractures, long-lasting immobilization, and loss of independence [1, 2]. About 30% of community-living people aged 65 or over fall each year, and this rate may be as high as 50% among the institutionalized elderly [4, 5]. Falling is a multifactorial event – that is, a result of the simultaneous effects of several factors – according to the literature, reduced functional mobility is a constant risk factor [1, 6,7,8,9]. The elements of functional mobility include rising from a chair, sitting down, walking, turning, etc. For this reason, the majority of tests to identify older adults at risk of falling is used to measure one or more of these elements [10]
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