Leg-extension strength and chair-rise performance in elderly women with Parkinson's disease

J Aging Phys Act. 2004 Oct;12(4):511-24. doi: 10.1123/japa.12.4.511.

Abstract

The lower extremity performance in elderly female patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease (PD; n = 12) and controls (n = 16) was compared. Isometric dynamometry and force-plate measurements were used. PD patients had lower (p < .05) bilateral (BL) maximal isometric leg-extension force (MF), BL isometric MF relative to body mass, and maximal rate of isometric force development than control participants. BL strength deficit was greater (p < .05) in PD patients than in controls. A significantly longer chair-rise time and lower maximal rate of vertical-ground-reaction-force development while rising from a chair was found in PD patients than in controls. These findings suggest that elderly women with PD have lowered voluntary isometric force-generation capacity of the leg-extensor muscles. Reduced BL leg-extension strength might contribute to the difficulty of individuals with PD to rise from a chair.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living*
  • Aged / physiology*
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Female
  • Gravitation
  • Humans
  • Leg / physiology*
  • Leg / physiopathology*
  • Life Style
  • Movement / physiology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology
  • Parkinson Disease / physiopathology*
  • Task Performance and Analysis*