Dominance of attentional focus: a comparative study on its impact on standing postural control in healthy younger and older adults.

Introduction: Attentional focus is a phenomenon in which shifting the focus of attention alters performance of standing postural control. It can be categorized as internal focus (IF), which directs attention to the body parts, or external focus (EF), which directs attention to the external environment. Although attentional focus that improves standing postural control in younger people exhibits individual dominance, the dominance of attentional focus in standing postural control in older adults remains ambiguous. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the dominance of attentional focus in standing postural control between healthy younger and older adults, a crucial step for understanding the aging process. Methods: The participants performed a standing postural control task under the IF and EF conditions. Based on the condition during which they exhibited superior performance, the participants were divided into two groups: IF-dominant and EF-dominant. The standing postural control performance in each group under the IF and EF conditions was subsequently compared. Results: The results showed that the participants, encompassing both younger and older adults, were divided into the IF-dominant and EF-dominant groups, confirming the dominance of attentional focus. The performance under the EF condition in older adults was also influenced by the dominance of attentional focus. Conclusion: These results highlight the potential importance of intervention methods based on the dominance of attentional focus, providing valuable insights into future research and clinical practice.

Thirty-second chair stand test in older adults with chronic health conditions is associated with lower limb oxygen extraction capacity.

BACKGROUND: The 30-s chair stand test (CS-30) is a well-known measure of muscle strength in older adults. However, factors other than muscle strength may also be involved in older adults with chronic health conditions who require support and care in daily living. PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that the CS-30 in older adults with chronic health conditions is associated with lower limb muscle oxygen extraction capacity. METHODS: Twenty-seven older adults with chronic health conditions (those who needed support and care in daily living because of stroke, musculoskeletal disease, etc.) were recruited. Tissue and percutaneous oxygen saturations of the right vastus lateralis muscle were measured during CS-30 measurements, and muscle oxygen extraction rate (MOER) was calculated. Knee extension strength, skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), and phase angle (PhA) were measured. In a multiple regression analysis with CS-30 as the dependent variable, results were calculated for model 1 with SMI, PhA, and ΔMOER as independent variables and model 2 with knee extension muscle strength added to model 1. RESULTS: Phase angle (model 1, ß = 0.46, p = .014; model 2, ß = 0.46, p = .016) and ΔMOER (model 1, ß = 0.39, p = .032; model 2, ß = 0.40, p = .039) were significantly associated in both models. Adjusted R2 was 0.26 (Model 1) and 0.23 (Model 2). CONCLUSION: The CS-30 in older adults with chronic health conditions may be related to muscle oxygen extraction capacity. This indicates that CS-30 also considers lower limb endurance assessment in this population.

Factors Influencing the Use of Walking Aids by Frail Elderly People in Senior Day Care Centers.

BACKGROUND: Senior day care centers in Japan are the most commonly used insurance service for frail elderly people, and it is important to examine the factors that influence the use of walking aids at these centers. We aimed to investigate the factors affecting the use of walking aids by frail elderly patients in senior daycare centers. METHODS: A total of 131 frail elderly people (mean age 82.7 ± 6.4 years) formed our study population. They were divided into two groups: solo walking (n = 87) and walking aid (n = 44). Individuals with cognitive decline were excluded. All participants were assessed using Functional Independence Measure Motor (FIM-M) sub-scores. Grip strength, knee extension strength, the 10 s Chair Stand test for Frail elderly (Frail CS-10), Single Leg Standing (SLS), and Timed Up and Go (TUG) tests were measured and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The walking aid group scored significantly lower than the solo walking group for five items: FIM-M, knee extension muscle strength, Frail CS-10, SLS, and TUG (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that knee extension muscle strength was the only factor that affected the use or disuse of walking aids (p < 0.05). The cut-off value of the knee extensor muscle strength-to-weight ratio for walking alone was 28.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Knee extensor muscle strength was the most important factor in determining the use of a walking aid.