The influence of trunk muscle strength on walking velocity in elderly people with sarcopenia.
Kota Kato, Yasuhiko Hatanaka
PMID 32158081WHAT IT FOUND
Elderly people with sarcopenia walked significantly slower than those without, despite having similar leg strength.
Their trunk extension strength was markedly lower, and they walked with a more forward-leaning posture. Assessing trunk strength may help explain slow walking in sarcopenia.
Key findings
01Walking velocity was significantly lower in the sarcopenia group compared to the non-sarcopenia group.
02Trunk extension muscle strength was significantly lower in the sarcopenia group, while lower limb muscle strength showed no significant difference between groups.
03Participants with sarcopenia exhibited a significantly higher trunk anteversion angle during walking, indicating a more kyphotic posture.
STILL TO COME
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What it does not show
The study had a small sample size (n=40), limiting the generalizability of the findings. There was a significant gender imbalance between groups (more women in the sarcopenia group, more men in the non-sarcopenia group), which may have influenced the results. The sarcopenia group was significantly older on average (85.5 years) than the non-sarcopenia group (80.9 years), making it difficult to separate the effects of sarcopenia from those of advanced age. Participants were recruited from outpatient rehabilitation or day-care centers, so the findings may not apply to healthier, independent elderly individuals. The cross-sectional design identifies associations but cannot prove that trunk weakness causes slow walking.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that strengthening legs will restore walking speed in sarcopenia. This study found no significant difference in lower limb strength between groups, suggesting that trunk weakness and postural changes may be the primary drivers of the observed slow gait.