Muscle Strength Rather Than Muscle Mass Is Associated With Standing Balance in Elderly Outpatients

Abstract

Objectives: Assessment of the association of muscle characteristics with standing balance is of special interest, as muscles are a target for potential intervention (ie, by strength training). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Geriatric outpatient clinic. Participants: The study included 197 community-dwelling elderly outpatients (78 men, 119 women; mean age 82 years). Measurements: Muscle characteristics included handgrip and knee extension strength, appendicular lean mass divided by height squared (ALM/height2), and lean mass as percentage of body mass. Two aspects of standing balance were assessed: the ability to maintain balance, and the quality of balance measured by Center of Pre..