Question: How do three different age groups of women and men >85 years perform in tests of gait speed, chair stands, and balance?
Design: A population-based cross-sectional observational study.
Participants: Half the 85-year-old population, and the total population aged 90 and ³95 (-103) in Umeå, Sweden were assessed in the Umeå 85+ Study (n=238).
Outcome measures: Usual and fastest gait speed (m/s) over 2.4 meters (8 feet), three consecutive chair stands (s), the Berg Balance Scale and ability to perform the tests (yes/no).
Results: The median (10th-90th percentile) usual gait speed was 0.49 m/s (0.23-0.75), time to perform the chair stands test 12.6 seconds (8.5-20.2), and median Berg Balance Scale scores 45 (0-54). An age-related decline in physical ability was seen in women, but not in men. Men had greater physical ability than women. The Berg Balance Scale showed no floor or ceiling effects, but the gait speed and chair stands tests resulted in a floor effect especially for women.
Conclusion: There were large variations in physical ability in these very old people. These data provide valuable reference values for physical ability in the oldest age groups for commonly used clinical measurements.