Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Age- and sex-related differences in muscle strength and physical performance in older Chinese

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Aging Clinical and Experimental Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Little is known about muscle strength and physical performance in Chinese.

Aim

This study aimed to assess the age- and sex-related differences in muscle strength and physical performance in older Chinese.

Methods

Three hundred and eight healthy participants (110 males and 198 females) age 68.3 ± 6.1 (mean ± SD) years were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The handgrip muscle strength (HGS) of the dominant hand was measured using a Jamar dynamometer. Physical performance was assessed by the Timed Up and Go test (TUG). The EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D) was used to evaluate participants’ health status.

Results

Men showed higher levels of HGS with a smaller percentage having low muscle strength compared with women. No differences were observed in TUG between sexes. No significant association of TUG and age was observed in males. However, older females had increased TUG and hence poorer performance. Good health status was associated with better physical performance but was not related to muscle strength in either sex.

Discussion

In men, there was no correlation between age and TUG, although a negative association with handgrip muscle strength was observed. For women, both muscle strength and physical performance declined with age. The sex-related differences in aging effects on physical performance in our study could partly explain why women have a higher incidence of hip fracture than men.

Conclusion

Chinese women may be more vulnerable to severe sarcopenia in old age than men.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Bahat G, Bauer J et al (2019) Sarcopenia: revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis. Age Ageing 48:16–31. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afy169

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Filippin LI, Teixeira VN, da Silva MP et al (2015) Sarcopenia: a predictor of mortality and the need for early diagnosis and intervention. Aging Clin Exp Res 27:249–254. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-014-0281-4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Perkisas S, De Cock AM, Vandewoude M et al (2018) Prevalence of sarcopenia and 9-year mortality in nursing home residents. Aging Clin Exp Res. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-018-1038-2

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. von Haehling S, Morley JE, Anker SD (2010) An overview of sarcopenia: facts and numbers on prevalence and clinical impact. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 1:129–133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13539-010-0014-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Baeyens JP, Bauer JM et al (2010) Sarcopenia: European consensus on definition and diagnosis: report of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People. Age Ageing 39:412–423. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afq034

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Buckinx F, Landi F, Cesari M et al (2018) Pitfalls in the measurement of muscle mass: a need for a reference standard. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 9:269–278. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12268

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Cawthon PM (2015) Assessment of lean mass and physical performance in sarcopenia. J Clin Densitom 18:467–471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocd.2015.05.063

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Harris-Love MO, Benson K, Leasure E et al (2018) The Influence of upper and lower extremity strength on performance-based sarcopenia assessment tests. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk3040053

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Fragala MS, Alley DE, Shardell MD et al (2016) Comparison of Handgrip and Leg Extension Strength in Predicting Slow Gait Speed in Older Adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 64:144–150. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.13871

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Jorgensen MG, Laessoe U, Hendriksen C et al (2013) Efficacy of Nintendo Wii training on mechanical leg muscle function and postural balance in community-dwelling older adults: a randomized controlled trial. J Gerontol Ser A Biol Sci Med Sci 68:845–852. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/gls222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Podsiadlo D, Richardson S (1991) The timed “Up & Go”: a test of basic functional mobility for frail elderly persons. J Am Geriatr Soc 39:142–148

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Blankevoort CG, van Heuvelen MJ, Scherder EJ (2013) Reliability of six physical performance tests in older people with dementia. Phys Ther 93:69–78. https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20110164

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Lyders Johansen K, Derby Stistrup R, Skibdal Schjott C et al (2016) Absolute and relative reliability of the Timed ‘Up & Go’ Test and ‘30second Chair-Stand’ test in hospitalised patients with stroke. PLoS One 11:e0165663. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0165663

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Chen LK, Liu LK, Woo J et al (2014) Sarcopenia in Asia: consensus report of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. J Am Med Dir Assoc 15:95–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2013.11.025

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Li K, Zhang Y, Wang L et al (2018) The protocol for the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology China Action on Spine and Hip status study. Quant Imaging Med Surg 8:667–672. https://doi.org/10.21037/qims.2018.08.07

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Leong DP, Teo KK, Rangarajan S et al (2016) Reference ranges of handgrip strength from 125,462 healthy adults in 21 countries: a prospective urban rural epidemiologic (PURE) study. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 7:535–546. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12112

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Reijnierse EM, de Jong N, Trappenburg MC et al (2017) Assessment of maximal handgrip strength: how many attempts are needed? J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 8:466–474. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12181

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Hofheinz M, Schusterschitz C (2010) Dual task interference in estimating the risk of falls and measuring change: a comparative, psychometric study of four measurements. Clin Rehabilit 24:831–842. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269215510367993

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. EuroQol G (1990) EuroQol–a new facility for the measurement of health-related quality of life. Health Policy 16:199–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Devlin NJ, Brooks R (2017) EQ-5D and the EuroQol Group: past, present and future. Appl Health Econ Health Policy 15:127–137. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40258-017-0310-5

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Vartiainen P, Mantyselka P, Heiskanen T et al (2017) Validation of EQ-5D and 15D in the assessment of health-related quality of life in chronic pain. Pain 158:1577–1585. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000954

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Linde L, Sorensen J, Ostergaard M et al (2008) Health-related quality of life: validity, reliability, and responsiveness of SF-36, 15D, EQ-5D [corrected] RAQoL, and HAQ in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol 35:1528–1537

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Rantanen T, Guralnik JM, Foley D et al (1999) Midlife hand grip strength as a predictor of old age disability. JAMA 281:558–560

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Harrison MJ, Davies LM, Bansback NJ et al (2009) Why do patients with inflammatory arthritis often score states “worse than death” on the EQ-5D? An Investigation of the EQ-5D classification system. Value Health 12:1026–1034. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1524-4733.2009.00565.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Brazier J, Roberts J, Tsuchiya A et al (2004) A comparison of the EQ-5D and SF-6D across seven patient groups. Health Econ 13:873–884. https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.866

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 81771831), Beijing Jishuitan Hospital Nova Program (Grant no. XKXX201812) and the Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals Clinical Medicine Development of Special Funding Support (Code: XMLX201843).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nursing Department, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, 100035, China

    Xuemei Lu

  2. The First Affiliated Hospital, Xingtai Medical College, Xingtai, 054001, China

    Huiying Chu

  3. Department of Radiology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, 100035, China

    Ling Wang, Ruopei Yang, Chengxi Yan, Yandong Liu, Zhe Guo & Xiaoguang Cheng

  4. Xinjiekou Community Health Service Center, Beijing, 100035, China

    Yuling Li & Wei Sun

Authors
  1. Xuemei Lu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Huiying Chu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ling Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ruopei Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yuling Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Wei Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Chengxi Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Yandong Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Zhe Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Xiaoguang Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

XGC designed the experiments and revised the manuscript. XML, HYC and LW analyzed data and wrote the manuscript. RPY conducted handgrip strength and CXY conducted physical performance assessments. YLL, YDL and WS checked the data of subjects, reviewed the manuscript. ZG edited the manuscript. All the authors approved the final version to be published.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaoguang Cheng.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Statement of human and animal rights

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all the participants.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lu, X., Chu, H., Wang, L. et al. Age- and sex-related differences in muscle strength and physical performance in older Chinese. Aging Clin Exp Res 32, 877–883 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-019-01263-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-019-01263-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation