Muscle strength evaluation in older adults: based on hierarchical analysis-fuzzy comprehensive analysis method / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Focusing on the challenge of population aging, the Chinese government attaches great importance to the development of pension services, and actively explores ways to solve the problem. The muscle strength of the older adults is closely related to their daily life, and how to scientifically and effectively assess and attend the elderly is critical. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the muscle strength of the older adults using a new combination of subjective and objective quantitative evaluation model. METHODS: Six joints of shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle with high correlation with daily muscle activity were selected. The analytic hierarchy process was used to build muscle strength index system, the weight values of each index were determined. The muscle strength was classified by fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, and a new combination of subjective and objective quantitative evaluation model was established. Fifty older individuals from a rehabilitation center of Beijing were selected to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of the new model. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the professional doctors, the new model for muscle strength grading exhibited the significantly similar results, and the accuracy rate of four classifications was above 80%, which met the measurement requirements. The new combination of subjective and objective quantitative evaluation model overcomes the problems due to subjective factors in questionnaire, and provides a more objective, quantified and improved method for assessing the muscle strength in the older adults.