Abstract
Study Design
Cross-sectional study.
Objective
To evaluate the relationship between agility and personal factors, muscle strength and power, mobility, self-reported balance and physical activity among older men.
Methods
Agility was measured by using the Agility Test for Adults (ATA). We studied 100 Finnish male former elite athletes (endurance n = 50; power n = 50) and 50 matched controls aged 66 to 91 years (mean age 75.5 years). The associations between agility and other variables were similar between three groups; thus, multiple linear regression analyses were done by using the pooled data of the participants.
Results
On the basis of multiple linear regression analyses, combination of age (p = .02), self-reported Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale (ABC scale), jumping height (p = .001) and self-rated health explained 26% of the variance in execution time of ATA (R2 = 0.26; p = .000002) among elderly men.
Conclusion
Power of lower extremities and age were the main determinants of the results of ATA in a cohort of men aged 66–91 years. From a clinical point of view, power of lower extremities measured by test demanding explosive power plays an important role to maintain or enhance capacity of agility.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the former elite athletes and their controls for volunteering as participants in our study.
Disclosure statement
The authors have nothing to declare for any conflicting interest or and financial disclosure.