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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| Racial differences in muscle strength in disabled older women | | Author(s) | Taina Rantanen, Jack M Guralnik, Suzanne Leveille |
| Journal title | The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, vol 53A, no 5, September 1998 |
| Pages | pp B355-B361 |
| Keywords | Ethnic groups ; Physical disabilities ; Older women ; Physical capacity ; United States of America. |
| Annotation | Hand grip, hip flexion and knee extension strength levels are compared in a group of 254 black and 665 white, moderately to severely disabled American women aged 65 and over in Baltimore, MD. Measurements were carried using portable hand-held dynamometers in the participants' homes. A declining strength gradient was observed with increasing degree of disability or physical activity. Blacks had better hand grip and flexion strength, but knee extension strength did not differ by race. The greater hand grip and hip flexion strength found in black women may be related to their greater muscle mass and known racial differences in body dimensions. No consistent racial differences were observed in the relationship between physical activity and muscle strength, or muscle strength and disability, suggesting that the role of muscle strength in the disablement process does not differ between races. Physical activity and exercise programmes may well prevent worsening of disability for both blacks and whites. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-990225220 A |
| Classmark | TK: BN: BD: BI: 7T |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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