Differences in developmental movement patterns used by active versus sedentary middle-aged adults coming from a supine position to erect stance

Physical Therapy Education Department, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66103.

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to further validate categories for the movement pattern of supine to standing in adults and (2) to evaluate the influence physical activity might have on the movement patterns used for rising. Seventy-two adults, between 30 and 39 years of age (mean = 34.1, SD = 2.8), performed the rising task while being videotaped. Subjects were divided into three groups by self-reports of level of physical activity (daily to rarely). Individual videotaped trials were classified using the previously described categories. Comparisons among the activity-level groups revealed that more active subjects demonstrated more developmentally advanced movement patterns in the righting task, consistent with earlier research on older adults. Results suggest that lifestyle patterns of regular, moderate physical activity may influence how a person performs the basic righting task of coming from a supine to a standing position. This investigation also provided additional support for the use of developmental sequences for the movement pattern of supine to standing.