Objective measures of physical capability and subsequent health: a systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

measures of physical capability may be predictive of subsequent health, but existing published studies have not been systematically reviewed. We hypothesised that weaker grip strength, slower walking speed and chair rising and shorter standing balance time, in community-dwelling populations, would be associated with higher subsequent risk of fracture, cognitive outcomes, cardiovascular disease, hospitalisation and institutionalisation.

Methods

studies were identified through systematic searches of the electronic databases MEDLINE and EMBASE (to May 2009). Reference lists of eligible papers were also manually searched.

Results

twenty-four papers had examined the associations between at least one physical capability measure and one of the outcomes. As the phy

SUBMITTER: Cooper R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3000177 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature