The purpose of this study was to investigate independent roles of functional fitness and gait variability in predicting frailty. This study targeted 168 community-dwelling women elderly people aged 65 or over. For achieving the study purpose, first, t ...
The purpose of this study was to investigate independent roles of functional fitness and gait variability in predicting frailty. This study targeted 168 community-dwelling women elderly people aged 65 or over. For achieving the study purpose, first, their physical characteristics, sociodemographic characteristics, physical and mental health conditions and behaviors, K-IADL, functional fitness, gait parameters and gait variability were measured, and based on Fried et al(2001)‘s frailty criteria(weight loss, emotional exhaustion, physical activities, walking speed and grip strength), the degree of frailty(non-frail, pre-frail and frail) was classified. Then in order to compare all the measurement variables depending on the degree of frailty and examine the linear trend, chi-square test and linear contrast analysis of one-way ANOVA were conducted. And multinominal logistic regression analysis was carried out to examine independent predictors of the degree of frailty. The study findings are as follows.77(45.8%) of 168 elderly people were non-frail, 74 ones(44.0%) belonged to pre-frail and 17 ones(10.1%) belonged to frail. Upper body muscular strength (hand grip), step cadence and terminal double limb stance variability among functional fitness and gait variability variables were independent predictors of frailty. This finding was found after correcting age, gender, the level of education and the number of chronic diseases that might influence the degree of frailty. This finding was found after adjusted for age, the level of education and the number of chronic diseases that might influence the degree of frailty.In conclusion, it is considered that upper body muscular strength, step cadence and terminal double limb stance variability, which are independent predictors of frailty, can be used as important indicators to predict and evaluate frailty and these study findings will be helpful in developing a frailty prevention exercise program.