Validity and Reliability of Elastic Resistance to Assess Upper Body Strength in Older Adults

Abstract

2400 PURPOSE: To determine the validity and reliability of using elastic resistance to assess upper body muscular strength in older adults. METHODS: Forty-eight community-dwelling older adult subjects (mean age = 73yrs; M = 8, F = 40) were recruited from an ongoing program examining the impact of various modes of exercise on the functional ability of functionally limited older adults. The sample qualified for this program by reporting and exhibiting functional abilities below the mean of their age group. Subjects completed two bouts of testing separated by seven days. During the first bout of testing each subject completed three assessments of upper body muscular strength with the right arm. First, a 30-second arm curl test was performed with a handheld dumbbell (Rikli & Jones 1998). Males used an 8lb dumbbell and females used a 5lb dumbbell during the testFinext, the arm curl test was repeated using elastic bands to generate resistance (males used blue and females used green). Finally, maximum arm flexion torque was assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer at 300 per second from 00 to 1200 of elbow flexion. The second bout of testing consisted of repeating the 30-second arm curl test with elastic bands. RESULTS: Pearson correlations matrices were constructed to determine the validity and reliability of using elastic resistance to assess upper body muscular strength. The data collected during the first bout of testing demonstrated a significant correlation between the 30-second arm curl test using elastic resistance and maximum isokinetic torque (r = .45, p<.00). Further, correlations between the 30-second arm curl test using elastic resistance separated by seven days demonstrated a high degree of stability over this duration of time (r = .81, p<.00). CONCLUSION: These findings reveal that the 30-second arm curl test using elastic resistance demonstrated a high degree of stability over one week and a strong correlation with isokinetic torque in the upper extremity among older adults. This suggests that elastic resistance may be used when performing clinical assessments of upper extremity strength within this population. Supported by NIH Grant RO1 NR0451503, and the Hygenic Corporation.