Nb. Alexander et al., HEALTHY-YOUNG AND OLD WOMEN DIFFER IN THEIR TRUNK ELEVATION AND HIP PIVOT MOTIONS WHEN RISING FROM SUPINE TO SITTING, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 43(4), 1995, pp. 338-343
OBJECTIVE: To describe the differences between healthy young and older
women in regards to trunk elevation and hip pivot motions when rising
from a supine to a seated position. DESIGN: Cross-sectional compariso
n. SETTING: University laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Two groups of healthy
female volunteers: young adult female controls (n = 22, mean age 23.5
years) and community-dwelling older female adults (n = 17, mean age 7
3.8 years). MEASUREMENTS: Subjects were videotaped as they performed t
hree controlled bed mobility tasks, starting from a supine position: (
1) rising to a seated position at the edge of a firm plinth surface (S
S); and rising to a seated position without moving to the edge of the
bed while either (2) using hands (SUH) or (3) not using hands (SUNH).
A series of movements involving the trunk were identified as subjects
performed the SS task. RESULTS: The older women were more likely to ro
tate and laterally flex their trunks, particularly in the later phases
of the SS task. In addition, during the SS task, the older group was
more likely to bear weight on their hip/gluteal area, particularly in
the later phases, and more likely to use a broad pivot base, consistin
g of the hip and the elbow. While all young and old performed the SUH
task, less than half of the older group could complete the SUNH task.
Moreover, the subgroup of older adults who could not complete the SUNH
task may have accounted for much of the differences between the young
and the old on the SS task. CONCLUSION: Healthy young and older women
differ in their ability to rise from a supine to sitting position, pr
imarily in the strategies used to elevate the trunk and facilitate a p
ivot. Trunk flexion ability likely contributes to the age group differ
ences noted in rising. These data provide the basis for a biomechanica
l analysis of the critical body segment motions and the strengths requ
ired to perform bed mobility tasks.