Relationship between Foot-Gripping Strength and Thoracic Spine Kyphotic Angle in Community-Dwelling Elderly Women

〔目的〕高齢者女性の足把持力と胸椎後彎角との関連性を検討した。〔対象〕地域在住の高齢者女性37名（平均 74.7±5.9歳）である。〔方法〕足把持力，胸椎後彎角，片足立ち保持時間などを測定し，相関分析や共分散分析を用いて検討した。〔結果〕足把持力と 胸椎後彎角ならびに片足立ち保持時間の三者には互いに有意な相関が認められ，胸椎後彎角が大きいほど足把持力が弱く，片足立ち保持時間が短いという関係が 認められた。さらに，胸椎後彎角高値群と低値群の2群間の比較から，年齢を調整しても胸椎後彎角と足把持力ならびに片足立ち保持時間との関連が示された。 〔結語〕胸椎後彎角が大きい高齢者女性は足把持力が弱く，立位バランスが低下していることが示唆された。[Purpose] We investigated the relationship between foot-gripping strength (FGS) and the thoracic spine kyphotic angle (TKA) in community-dwelling elderly women. [Subjects] The subjects were 37 community-dwelling women: average age, 74.7 ± 5.9 years. [Methods] We measured FGS and TKA together with one leg standing time, and investigated them using correlation and covariance analyses. [Results] Significant relationships were found between each of FGS, TKA and one leg standing time; as TKA increased, FGS decreased and one leg standing time shortened. Furthermore, when we compared low and high value groups of TKA, even after adjusting for age, the relationship with FGS and one leg standing time was still shown. [Conclusion] The results suggest that elderly women with large TKA have poor FGS and a lowered standing balance ability