Correlation of 6-Minute Walk Test and Neuromuscular Parameters in the Elderly: Knee Proprioception, Standing Balance, Ankle Muscle Strength, Knee Muscle Strength and Endurance
Date Issued
2007
Date
2007
Author(s)
Han, Yueh-Chin
DOI
zh-TW
Abstract
Background and purpose: The 6-minute walk test had been used to assess the functional capacity in patients with cardiopulmonary disorders. Recently, the 6-minute walk test has popularly been used as a simple tool to evaluate patients’ aerobic capacity in patients with peripheral vascular disease, neurological disease, and musculoskeletal disorders. However, few literatures report the correlation between the 6-minute walk distance and commonly evaluated variables, such as muscle strength, endurance, standing balance…etc., as we assess patients with musculoskeletal disorders. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to investigate the correlations between the 6-minute walk distance and neuromuscular parameters, including knee proprioception (joint position sense), standing balance, and muscle function (including muscle strength and muscle endurance).
Methods: 90 elderly volunteers were recruited. They are greater than 65 years old without any walking, cardiopulmonary or neurological disorders. All of them received the following assessments: knee reposition sense by closed chain in active-active test mode; one leg standing balance test (open and close eyes for 30 seconds); ankle muscle torque of dorsi-flexor and plantar flexor at 30º/s and 120º/s angular velocities; knee muscle torque of extensor and flexor at 60º/s,120º/s and 180º/s angular velocities; and knee muscle endurance at 180º/s, in addition to 6-minute walk test.
Results: The correlation (r value) between the 6-minute walk distance and age, height, one leg standing balance, ankle muscle torque and knee muscle torque was to be -0.45, 0.34, 0.52-0.60, 0.39-0.57, and 0.54-0.59, respectively. The one leg standing balance with open eyes and knee flexor muscle torque showed greater correlation with the 6-minute walk distance than other variables.
Conclusion: The 6-minute walk distance is probably one of assessment tools for the standing balance and knee flexor torque in the elderly subjects.
Subjects
六分鐘行走測試
神經肌肉系統
影響因子
下肢肌力
單腳站立平衡
Six-minute walk test
Neuromuscular system
Muscle strength
One leg standing balance
Type
other
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