New Agility Performance Test Developed for Older Adults

By Linda Hollinger-Smith Agility-1

Researchers in Japan have developed and evaluated a new performance test for use by clinicians that focuses on agility of older adults. Agility refers to the ability to rapidly change direction or velocity of body movement in response to some stimulus. Agility tends to decrease after age 50 which has been linked to the potential for falls. However, this research suggests that declines in agility appear to be a separate factor from increased falls due to a loss of muscle strength or balance.

Researchers performed a comprehensive evaluation of the new Ten-Step Test with a large community-dwelling sample of older adults. Other step tests focus more on balance, requiring participants to fully step up on a platform or block and then return both feet to the floor, one at a time. The new test has participants raise one foot on a platform and then return it to the floor, and then repeat the process with the other foot. This is repeated as rapidly as possible for ten rounds. Researchers found that the speed of completing the test was in direct relationship with the number of falls a person experiences. In other words, participants who completed the test more quickly reported fewer falls over the preceding six months. Agile-2

Exercises to reduce decline in agility may prove valuable to reducing falls. Additionally, findings indicated that the Ten-Step Test is a reliable measure of agility in older adults and can be useful in predicting the risk for falls.

Source: Miyamoto, K., Takebayashi, H., and colleagues. Gerontology 2008, vol. 54, pp. 365-372

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