摘要：Ageing-related deterioration of the lower limb muscle strength could highly influence the functional performance of elderly adults, particularly females, which are more prone to injurious falls. Precise analyses on the effects of ageing on individual lower-limbs’ muscle groups and their relationship with feeble functional performance could provide us with information that aid in designing preventive interventions. To this end, this study was designated to investigate the impacts of advancing age on lower limb muscles strength and consequently sit-to-stand and functional reaching performance among 34 community-dwellingelderly females (eighteen 60-69 years old and sixteen 70-79 years old). Results illustrated a significant decrease in produced relative peak torque (RPT) and power (RPP) values of ankle invertors, plantarflexors and knee extensor among 70-79 group, and their 5RSTS execution time significantly increased in comparison with 60-69 group (p<0.05). Outcomes also demonstrated that RPT and RPP values of ankle invertors and evertors have significant correlations with lateral reaching tests in both groups. Ankle plantarflexors, knee flexors and extensors are also shown a strong contribution in the decrement of 5RSTS duration in both groups, while ankle plantar flexors and knee extensors had also a significant correlation with FRT performance among them. The ankle and knee joints muscle strength, which has an undeniable contribution to human locomotion and balance status, underwent sharp attenuation by advancing age, consequently resulting in changing position impairments among elderly females. Findings of the current study might help in designing the interventional training programs, which could help community-dwelling elderly females in the prevention of fall-related risks of injuries.
