Association Between Toe Flexor Strength and Activity Levels in Community-Dwelling Japanese Older Women

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the relationship between toe flexor strength and the daily activity levels in 56 Japanese older women aged between 70 and 88 years. The activity levels were measured as the average number of steps/day using a pedometer and the life space assessment (LSA) scores. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare toe flexor muscle strength and the LSA scores between those with fewer than and more than 6,000 steps/day. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used to investigate the relationship between toe grip strength according to age and each variable. The LSA scores were significantly higher in the group with >6,000 steps/day (β = 0.188, p < .05). A correlation was found between the number of steps/day and toe flexor strength (r = .424, β = 0.419, p < .05) and the LSA scores (r = .417, β = 0.435, p < .05) in the participants in their 80s. Increasing the number of steps/day may benefit women in their 80s.