title: Association between physical function and the load pattern during stepping-up motion in community-dwelling elderly women.
abstract: Stepping-up motion is challenging task for elderly people in daily life. The present study investigated the relationship between the load pattern during stepping-up motion at maximum speed and physical function in elderly women.
  
  
  
  The subjects comprised 109 community-dwelling elderly women (age 72.5±5.3years). The load pattern (maximum load, rate of load production, and stepping-up time) during ascending a 30cm step at maximum speed was measured, using a step up platform that measures the load at the lower and upper level. Physical function, including hip and knee extensor strength and performance on the vertical jump test, one-legged stance test, timed "Up & Go" (TUG) test, and stepping test were measured.
  
  
  
  Pearson's correlation analysis showed that stepping-up time was correlated with the maximum load at the lower level (r=-0.51), but not with the maximum load at the upper level. A multiple regression analysis showed that hip extensor strength and performance on the vertical jump, TUG, and stepping tests were significant determinants of the load pattern during stepping-up motion in the elderly women.
  
  
  
  Our study revealed that rapid stepping-up ability was more closely related to the maximum load during push-off at the lower level rather than that during weight loading on the upper level, and that the load pattern during stepping-up motion in elderly women was associated with various physical functions such as the hip extensor strength, leg muscle power, dynamic balance function, and agility.
authors.affiliation: Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawaramachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan. Electronic address: ptaraki@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kojiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.affiliation: Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawaramachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Tome
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikezoe
authors.affiliation: Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawaramachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Malinowska
authors.affiliation: Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawaramachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masaki
authors.affiliation: Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawaramachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okita
authors.affiliation: Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawaramachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Faculty of Rehabilitation, KobeGakuin University, Ikawadani-cho Arise 518, Nishi-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 651-2113, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukumoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Sports Science, Faculty of Health and Medicine Science, KyotoGakuen University, Nanjoootani 1-1 Sogabe-cho, Kameoka, Kyoto, 621-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Misaka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Sports Science, Faculty of Health and Medicine Science, KyotoGakuen University, Nanjoootani 1-1 Sogabe-cho, Kameoka, Kyoto, 621-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Kita Orthopedic Clinic, 1-165-5 Asagiriminami-cho, Akashi, Hyogo, 673-0863, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kita
authors.affiliation: Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawaramachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Tadao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuboyama
authors.affiliation: Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawaramachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ichihashi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000502:physiology; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Elderly people; Load pattern; Physical function; Stepping-up motion