Associations between Muscle Strength, Physical Performance and Cognitive Impairment with Fear of Falling among Older Adults Aged ≥ 60 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study.

(1) Background: Fear of falling has become a significant health problem in older adults and is already considered as important as falling because of its long-term detrimental effects on older adults' physical and psychosocial functioning. The aim of this study was to analyze the associations between both upper and lower limb strength, gait parameters and cognitive impairment with fear of falling in older adults. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 115 older-adult participants was used to assess the impact of both upper (Handgrip dynamometer, TKK 5401 Grip-D, Takey, Tokyo, Japan) and lower limb strength (Chair stand test), gait parameters (OptoGait-System Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy) and cognitive impairment (COWAT word association test) with fear of falling in older adults (Falls Efficacy Scale-International FES-I). (3) Results: Multivariate linear regression analysis showed several independent associations with the fear of falling. A higher time to perform the Chair Stand test was associated with higher scores in FES-I (R2 = 0.231), while a lower score in both Semantic Fluency (S COWA) and Phonologic Fluency (P COWA) was associated with a decreased score in FES-I (R2 = 0.052 and 0.035). (4) Conclusions: Both higher step and stride length (OptoGait), lower body strength (Chair test) and both poorer semantic (S COWA) and phonologic (P COWA) fluency were all associated with fear of falling.

Acute Effects of High-Intensity Functional Training and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training on Cognitive Functions in Young Adults.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to compare the influence of an acute bout of high-intensity functional training (HIFT) with an acute bout of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on measures of cognitive function. METHODS: Sixty-nine young adults (Mean ± SD: age = 21.01 ± 2.79 yrs; body mass = 69.65 ± 6.62 kg; height = 1.74 ± 0.05 m; Body Mass Index = 22.8 ± 1.41) gave informed consent and were randomly divided into three groups. The HIFT group, with 27 participants, performed a high-intensity (>85% Max. HR) circuit of functional exercises for 30 min. The MICT group, with 28 participants, performed moderate-intensity (70-80% Max. HR) continuous training on a cyclo-ergometer. The control group did not perform any activity. The Stroop Test, Word Recall and N-Back Test were completed to assess during the familiarization period, immediately before and immediately after the training's bouts. RESULTS: The repeated measures ANOVA did not show significant mean differences for any group. However, the T-Test for the paired samples demonstrated very significant differences in the Stroop Test, in terms of fastest response time (FRT; mean difference (MD) = -1.14, p < 0.01, d = 0.9), mean response time (MRT; MD = -2.16, p < 0.01, d = 0.66) and the number of correct answers (NCA; MD = 1.08, p < 0.05, d = 0.5) in the HIFT group and in the MICT group (FRT; MD = -1.79, p < 0.01, d = 0.9), (MRT; MD = -3.07, p < 0.01, d = 0.9) (NCA; MD = 1.54, p < 0.05, d = 0.5). CONCLUSIONS: There were no differences in the control group. HIFT and MICT may elicit specific influences on cognitive function, mainly in executive function and selective attention.