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. 2010 Aug 9:5:173-80.
doi: 10.2147/cia.s7978.

Simple equations to predict concentric lower-body muscle power in older adults using the 30-second chair-rise test: a pilot study

Wesley N Smith  1 , Gianluca Del Rossi, Jessica B Adams, K Z Abderlarahman, Shihab A Asfour, Bernard A Roos, Joseph F Signorile
Affiliations

Simple equations to predict concentric lower-body muscle power in older adults using the 30-second chair-rise test: a pilot study

Wesley N Smith et al. Clin Interv Aging. .

Abstract

Although muscle power is an important factor affecting independence in older adults, there is no inexpensive or convenient test to quantify power in this population. Therefore, this pilot study examined whether regression equations for evaluating muscle power in older adults could be derived from a simple chair-rise test. We collected data from a 30-second chair-rise test performed by fourteen older adults (76 +/- 7.19 years). Average (AP) and peak (PP) power values were computed using data from force-platform and high-speed motion analyses. Using each participant's body mass and the number of chair rises performed during the first 20 seconds of the 30-second trial, we developed multivariate linear regression equations to predict AP and PP. The values computed using these equations showed a significant linear correlation with the values derived from our force-platform and high-speed motion analyses (AP: R = 0.89; PP: R = 0.90; P < 0.01). Our results indicate that lower-body muscle power in fit older adults can be accurately evaluated using the data from the initial 20 seconds of a simple 30-second chair-rise test, which requires no special equipment, preparation, or setting.

Keywords: chair-stand test; clinical test; elderly; instrumental activity of daily living; leg power.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A randomly chosen representative sample of eight successive chair rises. Individual chair rises were distinguished via positive and negative velocity changes from zero at the anterior superior iliac spine.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Graphic representation of the most powerful (A), second most powerful (B), and third most powerful (C) repetition and total (T) repetitions.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Plot of measured average power per chair rise versus average power predicted using our predictive equation. Predicted average power strongly correlated with actual average power (R = 0.89).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Plot of measured peak power across all chair rises versus peak power predicted using our predictive equation. Predicted peak power strongly correlated with actual peak power (R = 0.90).
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