Aging clinical and experimental research
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Little is known about muscle strength as a predictor of disability among older Mexican Americans. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hand grip strength and 7-year incidence of ADL disability in older Mexican American men and women. ⋯ Hand grip strength is an independent predictor of ADL disability among older Mexican American men and women. The hand grip strength test is an easy, reliable, valid, inexpensive method of screening to identify older adults at risk of disability.
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Although several investigations have tested physical activity a few months or one year after hip fracture, only a few have assessed physical activity shortly after hip fracture. The aim of this study was to evaluate how physical function two weeks after hip fracture operation predicts 12-month mortality. This was a prospective study of hip fracture patients with one-year follow-up, carried out in Jyväskylä Central Hospital in Finland. ⋯ Inability to stand up, sit down or walk two weeks after operation were the strongest predictors for mortality among operated hip fracture patients. We suggest that focus should be directed to verify if better survival might be achieved by more intensive rehabilitation immediately after the operation. The pre-fracture ADL-score appeared to be the only variable reaching statistical significance in the multiple proportional hazard model. This fact may reflect frailty and affect decisions concerning the rehabilitation program.