Reach Profiles of Men and Women 65 to 89 Years of Age

Abstract

Reach and anthropometric data were collected on a heterogeneous group of subjects 65 to 89 years of age. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether the process of aging has an effect on the ability to reach. Analysis of the data collected showed that age-related changes had an effect on reaching in the vertical plane, especially for the male subjects. The vertical reach fingertip and grip (VRT and VRG) measurements for men 85 to 89 years old were significantly lower than those for all other age groups, indicating that reaching abilities decrease between the ages of 80 and 85 years. The results for women were not as conclusive, but additional analysis showed a decline in VRT and VRG in terms of stature. Horizontal reach measurements showed no age-related effect in the analysis. An attempt was made to compare reach data collected here with those collected in previous studies. However, comparisons of the reach data were limited as a result of differences in reaching activities and measuring techniques in other studies. Anthropometric measurements of this older cohort were compared with those of a younger population. It was noted that older subjects had smaller anthropometric measurements than their younger cohorts. Differences in body size and reach, whether statistically significant or not, need to be considered when designing living environments and appliances for the aged.