title: Changes in flexed posture, musculoskeletal impairments, and physical performance after group exercise in community-dwelling older women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether improvements in flexed posture, strength, range of motion (ROM), and physical performance would be observed after 12 weeks of group exercise in older women who because of age are prone to flexed posture and impaired physical function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pretest-posttest of outcome measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one women with thoracic kyphosis of 50 degrees or greater.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multidimensional group exercise performed 2 times a week for 12 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary dependent measures of flexed posture included kyphosis, forward head, and height. Other dependent measures included spinal extensor muscle strength; shoulder, hip, and knee ROM; balance; modified Physical Performance Test (PPT); jug test; and gait speed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline kyphosis was 57 degrees +/-5.0 degrees , and age was 72.0+/-4.2 years. There were significant improvements in usual (-6 degrees +/-3 degrees ) and best kyphosis (-5 degrees +/-3 degrees ) (P<.001), spinal extensor muscle strength (21%+/-13% of peak torque/body weight, P<.001), popliteal angle (right, 7 degrees +/-7 degrees ; left, 9 degrees +/-10 degrees ; P<.001), modified PPT (2+/-2 points, P<.001), and jug test (-1.4+/-1.3s, P<.001). Age and modified PPT at baseline correlated with change in kyphosis (r=0.5, P=.02; r=.42, P=.055, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multidimensional group exercise reduced measured kyphosis and improved strength, ROM, and physical performance. This study provides a promising exercise intervention that may improve posture and physical performance in older women with flexed posture.
authors.affiliation: University of California UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143-0625, USA. wendy.katzman@ucsfmedctr.org
authors.forename: Wendy B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Katzman
authors.forename: Deborah E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Sellmeyer
authors.forename: Anita L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wanek
authors.forename: Kate A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hamel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology