TECHNIQUES TO EVALUATE ELDERLY HUMAN MUSCLE FUNCTION - A PHYSIOLOGICAL-BASIS

Elderly persons appear to exhibit muscle weakness and a slowing in the ir speed of muscle movement. Objective quantification of these charact eristics requires reliable and practical tests to assess the muscle co ntractile characteristics of elderly people. This review discusses the advantages and limitations of voluntary and electrically stimulated m uscle testing techniques used to assess the strength, speed, and fatig ability of elderly muscle with a brief explanation of the physiologica l basis. This review presents the practice and theory underlying the s cientific measurement of elderly human muscle function, bridging the g ap between the practical issues of measurement and the physiological s ignificance of such measurements.