Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, Vol 53, Issue 3 M242-M247, Copyright © 1998 by The Gerontological Society of America

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Spatial-temporal analysis of mobility over the adult age range using the Postural-Locomotor-Manual Test

MM Samson, A Crowe, SA Duursma, JA Dessens and HJ Verhaar
Department of Geriatrics, Utrecht University Hospital, The Netherlands.

BACKGROUND: Mobility measurements were performed on healthy adult subjects to investigate changes over the adult age range and to obtain reference values. METHODS: Ninety-five males (19-90 years, mean 58.2) and 122 females (19-90 years, mean 51.8) were measured using the commercially available Postural-Locomotor-Manual Test (PLM-test). Subjects are required to perform a standard maneuver that is recorded using an optoelectronic technique. RESULTS: Older subjects carried out all phases of the maneuver more slowly than younger subjects. At about the age of 50 years, females showed a more rapid slowing down. Males showed a more gradual decrease over the adult age range. CONCLUSION: The PLM-test provides a fairly simple noninvasive method of assessing motor performance. However, it is important to separate male and female data in the determination of reference values.

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