Reference values and factors associated with hand grip strength among older adults living in southeastern Poland.

Handgrip strength (HGS) is used as a biomarker for the state of health of older people, but the number of research publications containing the normative values of HGS in older adult populations is limited. The aim of the study was to define reference values and factors associated with HGS in older adults living in southeastern Poland. A cross-sectional study including 405 participants aged 65 and older was conducted. Handgrip strength for the dominant hand was assessed by the average of three trials using a JAMAR dynamometer. The sample was categorized into the following age groups: 65-69 years, 70-74 years, 75-79 years, 80-84 years, 85 and over. The average HGS was 19.98 kg (16.91 kg for women and 26.19 kg for men). There was a decrease in handgrip strength across the age range in both sexes. The average handgrip strength of the older people was 17.97 kg (14.47 kg for women and 25.66 kg for men) for those aged 80-85 and 16.68 kg (13.51 kg for women and 21.77 kg for men) in the group over 85 years old. In both sexes, marital status was an independent factor associated with reduced handgrip strength. In conclusion, this study described, for the first time, handgrip strength values for the southeastern Polish population aged ≥ 65 years according to age and gender.

The Relationship Between Body Composition and Muscle Tone in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Case-Control Study.

The monitoring of children with cerebral palsy (CP) should include a precise assessment of the nutritional status to identify children and adolescents at risk of nutrition disorders. Available studies assessing the nutritional status of children with CP mainly focus on the relationship between body composition and the coexistence of motor dysfunctions, frequently overlooking the role of muscle tone. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the relationship between body composition and muscle tone in children with CP. In a case-control study (n = 118; mean age 11 y; SD = 3.8), the children with CP presented various stages of functional capacities, corresponding to all the levels in gross motor function classification system (GMFSC), and muscle tone described by all the grades in Ashworth scale. The control group consisted of healthy children and adolescents, strictly matched for gender and age in a 1:1 case-control manner. The children with CP were found with significantly lower mean values of fat-free mass (FFM kg = 29.2 vs. 34.5, p < 0.001), muscle mass (MM kg = 18.6 vs. 22.6, p < 0.001), body cell mass (BCM kg = 15.1 vs. 18.3, p < 0.001), and total body water (TBW L = 23.0 vs. 26.7, p < 0.001). The same differences in body composition were identified with respect to gender (p < 0.01 respectively). Moreover, children with higher muscle tone (higher score in Ashworth scale) were found with significantly lower values of fat mass (FM), FFM, MM, BCM, and TBW (p < 0.05). The findings showed lower parameters of body composition in the children with CP compared to the healthy children, and a decrease in the parameters coinciding with higher muscle tone in the study group. This observation suggests that it is necessary to measure muscle tone while assessing nutritional status of children with CP.

Psychophysical Health Factors and Its Correlations in Elderly Wheelchair Users Who Live in Nursing Homes.

Background: The aging is a multi-faceted process comprising both-the physical and mental alterations. Thus, the aim of the study was to evaluate the variables affecting the psychophysical state of the elderly people using wheelchairs and living in nursing homes (NH). Methods: 165 older wheelchair users were included in the study after meeting the inclusion criteria and expressing written consent. The assessment involved cognitive functioning, depression, body balance and flexibility, lung capacity and upper limbs dexterity, strenght and endurance. The results showed negative correlation between depression and balance, upper limb dexterity and endurance and shoulder flexion. A positive correlation between cognitive functioning and balance, upper limb dexterity, strenght and endurance, lung capacity and joint mobility was determined. Also, the study proved positive correlation between daily functioning and functional fitness, muscle strength and endurance, body flexibility, joint mobility. The regression analysis showed that better scores in balance test and joint mobility implied with higher scores in cognitive functioning. The most important determinants of functional fitness were balance, hand grip strenght and joint mobility. Conclusion: The future study should be focused on developing interventions aimed at senior wheelchair users living in NHs to prevent the deterioration of their mental and physical fitness.

[An assessment of work ability after the completion of rehabilitation as part of disability pension prevention of the Social Insurance Institution among people with chronic musculoskeletal diseases]. / Ocena zdolnosci do podejmowania pracy po zakonczeniu rehabilitacji w ramach prewencji rentowej Zakladu Ubezpieczen Spolecznych u osób z chorobami przewleklymi narzadu ruchu.

BACKGROUND: The increasing number of people receiving benefits due to incapacity for work is a heavy burden for the state budget. In order to reduce the scale of this phenomenon, the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) carries out a rehabilitation program as part of disability pension prevention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was based on the analysis of medical documentation of 607 patients rehabilitated at the Saint Queen Jadwiga's Regional Clinical Hospital No. 2 in Rzeszow, as part of the ZUS prevention of disability pension program in 2011-2013. Medical documentation included the medical history and results of the Functional Test recommended by ZUS. Two years after the completion of rehabilitation, a telephone check was conducted among 118 rehabilitated patients to assess their occupational status. RESULTS: The analysis of the Functional Test documentation showed that in all groups of wykorzystujapatients included in the rehabilitation program, as well as those among whom the control was carried out, the majority were people with post-exercise pain, full physical fitness, slight mobility limitation, full efficiency in everyday activities, correct strength of muscles and moving abilities, as well as normal psychosocial efficiency. The vast majority of them received a recommendation regarding work in a properly-adjusted position. It was shown that in the 2-year observation period, the percentage of professionally active people increased from 56% to 61.02%. CONCLUSIONS: The most important factors determining the return to work include psychosocial efficiency and the level of pain. Med Pr. 2019;70(4):459-73.