Strength, Self-Care Ability and Death in Aging Adults…Get a Grip!

Loss of muscle strength during aging presents many health problems. Because muscle strength can be difficult to measure, handgrip strength often serves as an estimate for overall muscle strength. In this study, the investigators examined if decreased handgrip strength reduced self-care abilities. And in turn, if such problems with completing self-care tasks impacted time to death in adults aged at least 50 years who were followed for almost a decade. A representative sample of 17,747 older U.S. adults were included in this study. The results revealed that strength loss, as measured by handgrip strength, hurt ability to self-care, and problems with completing self-care tasks increased the risk for death during aging. As we age, preserving muscle strength is important for maintaining good health. Practicing healthy behaviors as early as possible might help with preserving strength. Talk to your doctor or health care provider about handgrip strength and how to remain strong. This may help you get a grip on your health!

For more information, view the abstract or contact the investigator.

New Measures from Wrist-Worn Activity Monitors May Lead to Preventing Injuries in Runners

In large studies on health, wrist-worn research-quality devices are widely used to monitor daily activity including rest and sleep. Using these devices to monitor exercise training patterns in runners could help prevent injury and improve performance. In this study, 35 experienced male and female runners, averaging about 40 years of age, wore a device on their wrist 24 hours a day for seven days. The researchers used information obtained from the devices to develop new measures of running training. These measures accurately identified days when the runners trained and their training load. Researchers can use these measures in large studies to assess people’s running training patterns alongside their physical activity, rest and sleep. This will help establish the best rest and running patterns for injury prevention, health and performance.

For more information, view the abstract or contact the investigator.

Risky Movement Patterns After ACL Surgery - Implications for Long-term Knee Health

Surgery to repair a damaged anterior cruciate ligament in the knee (ACL surgery) is most common in young, active individuals. However, even after return to play, patients have an increased risk for early onset knee osteoarthritis as young adults. ACL surgery may disrupt movement patterns during every day activities and cause abnormal joint loading and increasing wear and tear on the knee. Understanding how these movement patterns develop after ACL surgery may point the way to more effective treatments. The investigators in this study used three-dimension motion analysis to measure knee and hip joint loading during walking and jogging in three groups of young adults (18-20 per group) that completed the motion analysis at three different time-frames after ACL surgery. The group measured at nine-24 months post-sugery showed abnormal joint loading similar to that seen early after surgery. In contrast, the group measured at two-five years post-surgery showed no abnormal joint loading; this finding suggested normal movement patterns had recovered. Interestingly, the group measured five or more years post-surgery exhibited some concerning abnormal joint loading patterns ̶ patterns that could expose the knee to excessive wear and tear over time. Our findings showed that abnormal movement patterns may occur in young adults during the later years after ACL surgery. Adding follow-up clinical care beyond standard post-surgical rehabilitation may be beneficial for ACL surgery patients. This would allow identification and management of theserisky movement patterns, leading to better long-term knee health.

For more information, view the abstract or contact the investigator