Association between leg strength and muscle cross-sectional area of the quadriceps femoris with the physical activity level in octogenarians.
BACKGROUND
Aging is a complex physiological process whose main feature is the progressive loss of functionality, which may be delayed or attenuated by improving physical fitness.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the association between leg strength and the muscle cross-sectional area of the quadriceps femoris in relation to physical activity level in the elderly.


METHODS
Thirty-two functionally autonomous people over 80 years (men: 82.80±2.09 years; women: 83.77±4.09 years) participated in this study. The Barthel Index, the Yale Physical Activity Survey and the Chair Stand Test were the instruments used.


RESULTS
There were significant differences between sexes in muscle area (p<0.001) in the Chair Stand Test (p=0.028) and the walk index (p=0.029), with higher values in men. The muscle area and the Chair Stand Test correlated significantly with the walk index (r=0.445, p<0.005, and r=0.522, p<0.001, respectively) and the total weekly activity index (r=0.430, p<0.005, and r=0.519, p<0.001, respectively). In the multiple linear regression models for the total weekly activity index, muscle area and the Chair Stand Test, only the latter behaved as a predictor variable.


CONCLUSIONS
Muscle strength and muscle mass of quadriceps showed a significant association with the physical activity level in older people. Leg muscle strength was useful to reveal muscle mass and physical activity level in older people, which is relevant as a clinical practice indicator.
Departamento de Expresión Corporal, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, España. platorre@ujaen.es.
Pedro Á
PÁ
Latorre-Román
Juan Manuel
JM
Arévalo-Arévalo
Felipe
F
García-Pinillos
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000502:physiology*; D016138:Walking
Aged; body mass index; lower extremity; motor activity