The effect of age and movement speed on maximum forward reach from an elevated surface: a study in healthy women

Objective. To test the hypotheses (1) that the maximum distance reached by young or older women when standing on a raised platform is independent of movement speed, and (2) the maximum forward momentum generated at comfortable and fast reaching speeds is independent of age. Design. Repeated measures case–control study in a university laboratory setting. Background. Maximum forward reach distance is often part of a geriatric mobility assessment. The effect of movement speed, and hence momentum, on forward reaching behavior is unknown in young or older subjects, despite the fact that excess momentum might increase the risk of fall-related injuries, especially from an elevated surface. Methods. Ten healthy young women (mean age 23.7 years) and 10 healthy older women (mean age 70.5 years) participated. Subjects stood on an instrumented force platform and forward reach body segment kinematics were measured optoelectronically. Whole-body center of reaction and center of mass trajectories were calculated during six maximum forward reach trials: three performed “at a comfortable speed”, and three performed “as fast as possible”. Results. Subjects reached slightly further at a comfortable speed than when reaching as fast as possible (P=0.016). Fast reaches were associated with a 25% increase in momentum (P<0.001; however, under both speed conditions, older women developed less whole-body momentum than did young controls (for example, 4.1 vs. 6.1 kg m/s at comfortable speed, P<0.05). Three young and one older women lost their balance in at least one trial. Conclusions. Independent of age, these women reached further when reaching slowly than when reaching rapidly, and older women restricted peak forward momentum under both speed conditions when standing on the elevated surface.