Age differences in movement patterns used to rise from a bed in subjects in the third through fifth decades of age

Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Professions, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE. The purposes of this study were to describe the movement patterns of middle-aged adults when rising from a bed and to determine whether there are age-related differences in movement patterns across the third through fifth decades of age. SUBJECTS. Ninety-three adults (30 men, 63 women), ranging in age from 30 to 59 years, participated in the study. METHODS. The subjects were videotaped during 10 trials of rising from a bed. Subjects comprised three age groups, as defined by the decades of the thirties, forties, and fifties. Movement patterns for four body regions were used to classify the videotaped performances. The incidence of each movement pattern was determined for each decade and graphed. RESULTS. Subjects in their thirties differed from older subjects in movement patterns used to rise from a bed. Movement pattern incidence varied across age groups for each body region. The movement patterns of one body region predominated in reverse order of a previously proposed developmental sequence. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION. Results indicate physical therapists should consider the patient's age when selecting movement patterns to teach.

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