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Passive Ankle Stiffness in Young and Elderly Men*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Anthony A. Vandervoort ,
Bert M. Chesworth  and
Nancy S. Mick Jones
Anthony A. Vandervoort
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario.
Bert M. Chesworth
Affiliation:
PT Clinical Associate, University Hospital/University of Western Ontario Physical Therapy Clinic, University of Western Ontario.
Nancy S. Mick Jones
Affiliation:
Lecturer, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario.
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Abstract

The purpose of the study was to compare passive joint stiffness in ankles of young and elderly men (21–39, and 64–87 years, respectively). A torque motor system was used to record angular displacement and resistive torque during a slow 6 degree/second ankle rotation from 10 degrees of plantarflexion to 10 degrees of dorsiflexion (DF). Passive torque (Nm) and passive elastic stiffness (Nm/degree) were measured at neutral, 5 and 10 degrees of DF. Passive torque increased nonlinearly as the ankle was rotated into DF. The elderly men had significantly lower passive torque values (p < .05), but there was no age-related difference in passive elastic stiffness. Variability of the two measures was greater in the older group. We concluded that within the range of motion tested, there was no evidence of increased stiffness in the elderly ankle joints.

Résumé

L'objet de la présente étude était de comparer l'élasticité articulatoire passive des chevilles chez les hommes de 21 à 39 ans par rapport aux hommes du troisième âge (64–87 ans). A cet effet, on a utilisé un système de torsion mécanique pour mesurer le déplacement angulaire et le degré de résistance pendant une lente rotation de la cheville (6 degrés/seconde) allant de 10 degrés de flexion plantaire à 10 degrés de flexion dorsale (FD). La torsion passive(Nm) et l'élasticité passive (Nm/degré) ont été mesurées au point mort, à 5 et à 10 degrés de FD. On a constaté que la torsion passive augmentait de façon non-linéaire à mesure que la cheville avançait vers FD. Les valeurs de torsion passive se sont avérées beaucoup plus basses dans le groupe âgé (p < .05), mais on n'a relevé aucune différence entre les deux groupes dans les mesures d'élasticité passive. Les deux variables ont donné lieu à des variations de plus grande amplitude dans le groupe âgé. Nous avons conclu que, dans la limite des mouvements testés, il n'y a aucune preuve que l'élasticité articulatoire des chevilles diminue avec l'âge.

Keywords

AgingJointAnkleConnective tissueMuscle.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , Summer/Été 1990 , pp. 204 - 212
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1990

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