A Study on Health Status of Joints in Elderly People / 기본간호학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the subjective health status of joints, flexibility of joints, muscle strength and state of joint exercise in elderly people living in the community. METHOD: The participants were 74 elderly people in a health program of the Gerontological Health Research Center at G University. The data were collected from March to July, 2003. The instrument for the study included items on general characteristics (5 items), subjective health status of joints (10 items), flexibility of joints and strength of muscle (8 items), and state of joint exercise (7 items). RESULTS: The score for subjective health status of joints was 3.70 (range 1-5). Knee and waist joints were in the worst state. Neck extension and flexion were 17.38+/-1.80 and .60+/-1.08(cm) respectively. Trunk extension and flexion were 68.24+/-4.47 and 58.00+/-4.91(cm) respectively. Flexibility of the Rt./Lt. shoulder joints was 14.63+/-12.51/18.82+/-13.80(cm). Muscle strength of the Rt./Lt. leg was 30.47+/-19.68/29.67+/-21.22 (sec.). Shoulder joints were more flexible for men and people in their sixties compared to women and people in their seventies. Hand grip was stronger for men compared to women. The score for state of joint exercise was 2.83(range 1-4). The state of handgrip correlated with the state of joint exercise [r=.423 (Rt.)/r=.273(Lt.)]. CONCLUSION: To prevent falls and disorders in neuromuscular function, it is important to develop systemic joint exercise programs for elderly people.