Preliminary study on the effects of movement velocity training of the upper limbs on gait ability in older adults: a nonrandomized controlled trial

Figures & data

Figure 1 Movement velocity training of the upper limbs. (A) Shoulder horizontal flexion/extension exercise using a Japanese fan. (B) Shoulder flexion/extension exercise using a Japanese fan. (C) Shoulder horizontal flexion/extension exercise using a towel. (D) Shoulder flexion exercise using a stick. (E) Elbow extension exercise using a stick.

Figure 2 Flow diagram of subjects through the study.

Table 1 Characteristics of the study population

	Movement velocity training (n = 26)		Control (n = 15)
Characteristic	Value	Range	Value	Range	p value
Age (years)	85.9 ± 6.9	69 − 99	82.7 ± 7.5	65 − 92	0.171
Female, n (%)	23 (88.5)		13 (86.7)
Height (cm)	145.8 ± 10.3	126.0 − 168.0	148.5 ± 10.0	130.0 − 168.0	0.426
Weight (kg)	42.9 ± 7.4	30.8 − 60.0	45.3 ± 5.5	35.0 − 57.0	0.283
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	20.1 ± 2.7	16.4 − 26.7	20.7 ± 2.8	16.3 − 25.7	0.560

Note: Mean ± Standard Deviation (SD).

Table 2 Correlation of gait ability and movement velocity of the upper and lower limbs

	Movement velocity of the lower limbs		Maximum gait speed		Usual gait speed		Timed up and go test
	r	p -value	r	p -value	r	p -value	r	p -value
Movement velocity of the upper limbs (n = 41)	0.70	0.00	0.53	0.00	0.33	0.04	−0.39	0.01
Movement velocity of the lower limbs (n = 32)			0.78	0.00	0.66	0.00	−0.63	0.00
Maximum gait speed (n = 41)					0.88	0.00	−0.69	0.00
Usual gait speed (n = 41)							−0.76	0.00

Table 3 Descriptive statistics and group comparisons of gait ability

	Pre-intervention	4 weeks	8 weeks	10 weeks
Maximum gait speed* (m/s)
Movement velocity training (n = 26)	0.84 ± 0.25^‡	0.82 ± 0.26	0.88 ± 0.32	0.95 ± 0.36^Table Footnote†
Control (n = 15)	1.06 ± 0.29	1.08 ± 0.29	1.09 ± 0.31	1.11 ± 0.31
Usual gait speed (m/s)
Movement velocity training (n = 26)	0.67 ± 0.18^Table Footnote‡	0.67 ± 0.19	0.69 ± 0.20	0.74 ± 0.23
Control (n = 15)	0.83 ± 0.26	0.81 ± 0.26	0.84 ± 0.26	0.82 ± 0.24
TUG (s)
Movement velocity training (n = 26)	21.7 ± 9.8	21.2 ± 8.9	20.5 ± 8.4	19.0 ± 9.6
Control (n = 15)	16.8 ± 7.6	17.3 ± 7.8	15.6 ± 6.8	15.7 ± 6.5

Notes: *Group × time interaction (p<0.05).

^†Significant within-group differences from baseline (p<0.05) (Bonferroni adjusted).

^‡Significant between-group differences at baseline (p<0.05).

Abbreviation: TUG, timed up and go.

Table 4 Descriptive statistics and group comparisons of movement velocity and muscle strength

	Pre-intervention	4 weeks	8 weeks	10 weeks
Movement velocity of the upper limbs* (m/s)
Movement velocity training (n = 17)	1.92 ± 0.51‡	2.13 ± 0.54†	2.33 ± 0.66†	2.43 ± 0.67†
Control (n = 15)	2.75 ± 0.83	2.82 ± 0.75	2.66 ± 0.77	2.79 ± 0.71
Movement velocity of the lower limbs (deg/s)
Movement velocity training (n = 17)	255.6 ± 79.3‡	290.5 ± 87.9	282.2 ± 87.4	289.5 ± 87.6
Control (n = 15)	336.7 ± 73.1	322.2 ± 55.7	338.6 ± 64.9	339.8 ± 56.2
Quadriceps strength (kg)
Movement velocity training (n = 17)	10.9 ± 4.0	10.3 ± 4.3	10.6 ± 3.4	10.8 ± 3.2
Control (n = 15)	13.4 ± 4.4	13.1 ± 4.3	13.9 ± 5.5	12.5 ± 4.5

Notes: *Group × time interaction (p<0.05).

^†Significant within-group differences from baseline (p<0.05) (Bonferroni adjusted).

^‡Significant between-group differences at baseline (p<0.05).