AUTHOR=Yeh Ping-Chun , Syu De-Kai , Ho Chien-Chang , Lee Tian-Shyug 

TITLE=Associations of lower-limb muscle strength performance with static and dynamic balance control among older adults in Taiwan

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1226239

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2024.1226239

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Background</title><p>Aging is an inevitable process of life development. These physical changes can cause a decline in the functional adaptability and health status of older adult individuals.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Aims</title><p>The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of lower-limb muscle strength performance with static and dynamic balance control among older adults in Taiwan.</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Methods</title><p>We conducted a cross-sectional study and reviewed data derived from the National Physical Fitness Survey in Taiwan 2015–2016. A total of 20,846 Taiwanese older adult individuals aged 65 years old or older were recruited as study participants. Demographic characteristics, anthropometric assessments, lifestyle habits, and health-related physical fitness measurements from this dataset were analyzed using the chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance, and linear regression analysis. Lower-limb muscle strength performance was classified into 4 groups based on quartile (Quartile 1 [Q1], Quartile 2 [Q2], Quartile 3 [Q3], and Quartile 4 [Q4]) values.</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Results</title><p>Increased lower-limb muscle strength levels were significantly associated with static balance in men (Q2: <italic>β</italic> = 2.539, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001; Q3: <italic>β</italic> = 4.590, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001; Q4: <italic>β</italic> = 7.700, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001) and women (Q2: <italic>β</italic> = 2.022, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001; Q3: <italic>β</italic> = 4.179, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001; Q4: <italic>β</italic> = 6.920, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001) after adjusting for potential confounders. In addition, we observed that increased lower-limb muscle strength levels were significantly associated with dynamic balance in men (Q2: <italic>β</italic> = −1.661, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001; Q3: <italic>β</italic> = −2.434, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001; Q4: <italic>β</italic> = −3.091, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001) and women (Q2: <italic>β</italic> = −1.660, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001; Q3: <italic>β</italic> = −2.548, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001; Q4: <italic>β</italic> = −3.196, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001) after adjusting for potential confounders.</p></sec><sec id="sec5"><title>Conclusion</title><p>Lower-limb muscle strength was the most important factor, as it was an improved method for static and dynamic balance control in both genders.</p></sec>