Vertical Jump Tests: A Safe Instrument to Improve the Accuracy of the Functional Capacity Assessment in Robust Older Women.

Carlos A F Santos,Ana V Pedrosa,Gislene R Amirato,Nuno Pimenta,António R Sampaio,Alberto Pochini,André L L Bachi,Alessandro F Jacinto,Juliana M B Santos,Adriana Caldo-Silva

doi:10.3390/healthcare10020323

Abstract

Age-related decreases in muscle function lead to disabilities and are associated with negative health outcomes in older people. Although several physical tests can be used to assess physical performance, muscle strength, and power, their interpretation can be hampered by the ceiling effect of some of them. The aim of this study was to assess whether vertical jump tests are safe in terms of physical integrity and whether they are useful in assessing physical performance in forty-one robust older women. The investigation entailed an assessment of anthropometric characteristics, physical functioning tests (Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), sit-to-up 5 times and sit-to-up 30 s, gait speed, time-up-to-go test (TUGT)), and tests evaluating muscle strength and power (handgrip, lower limb isokinetic tests, and vertical jumping tests). Significant negative correlations were found between vertical jumping tests and BMI, body fat percentage, sit-to-up 5 times and TUGT. In addition, significant positive correlations were observed between vertical jumping tests and SPPB, gait speed, handgrip, and concentric isokinetic tests of knee muscles. No adverse events in volunteers’ physical integrity were reported during and after the performance of all physical tests. Thus, the study results showed that vertical jumping tests are safe and accurate for assessing physical performance and are useful for monitoring age-related loss of muscle performance in robust older women.

Highlights

Introduction distributed under the terms andThe aging process is a natural phenomenon that, among some aspects, is characterized by a heterogeneous loss of muscle performance that begins long before the individual becomes aged
Positive correlations were found between Body mass index (BMI) and calf circumference, total body fat percentage, appendicular skeletal mass index, and peak torque (60◦ ·s−1 knee extensor), including between calf circumference and total body fat percentage
The countermovement jump test showed a negative correlation with total body fat percentage, and the squat jump test showed negative correlations with BMI, calf circumference, and total body fat percentage

Summary

Introduction

Introduction distributed under the terms andThe aging process is a natural phenomenon that, among some aspects, is characterized by a heterogeneous loss of muscle performance that begins long before the individual becomes aged. It is widely accepted that some age-related aspects, such as immunosenescence, inflamm-aging, lifestyle and habits, nutrition, polypharmacy, hormonal issues, and presence of chronic diseases, can influence and increase the vulnerability to develop diseases and geriatric syndromes associated with physical disabilities and functional dependence, preferentially sarcopenia and frailty [6,7] Based on these facts, the World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Consortium on Healthy Ageing (CCHA), held in November 2019, was the fifth gathering of an international group of clinical leaders, in which one of the objectives was to create strategies to reduce the number of people dependent on care by 15 million by 2025 [8]. In accordance with recent reports, this number will probably need to be revised because of the pandemic, originating from SARS-CoV-2, which has resulted in an increase in the incidence of frailty syndrome and sarcopenia for several reasons: acute infectious disease, social isolation, lack of follow-up for chronic diseases, and failure to diagnose new chronic diseases [9,10]

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