Revista de Medicina · Apr 30, 2026

Relationship between functional indicators, muscle strength, and mobility in institutionalized older adults who engage in physical exercise

By de Oliveira DV, Carminato RA, Breda GS et al.

The study aimed to analyze the functional profile and investigate the relationships between muscle strength, mobility, balance, and functional capacity in institutionalized older adults participating in a physical and recreational activity group. This was a quantitative, analytical, observational, cross-sectional study conducted at a long-term care facility for older adults in Ivaiporã-PR, with ethics approval. Participants were 11 older adults with independent ambulation and a mean age of 68.9 years, most of whom were men (72.7%), white (90.9%), had experienced no falls in the last year (90.9%), and used three or more medications (72.7%). The following instruments were administered: Timed Up and Go (TUG), eight-meter gait speed, handgrip strength, the 30-second sit-to-stand test, the forward reach test, the SARC-Calf questionnaire, and the Katz Index. The means were: TUG = 18.65s; speed = 0.57 m/s; grip strength = 16.1 kgf; sit-to-stand = 9.2 repetitions; forward reach = –8.2 cm; SARC-Calf = 7.6 points; Katz = 5.3 points. The analyses showed significant correlations between mobility, muscle strength, and functional independence. TUG showed a strong negative relationship with Katz (r = –0.88), demonstrating that longer completion time is associated with lower independence. Gait speed and upper limb strength were positively correlated with functional performance. It is concluded that, although participating in physical and recreational activities, the older adults exhibited limitations in strength, flexibility, and mobility. The findings reinforce the need for ongoing interventions focused on muscle strengthening, balance training, and promoting functional independence.

doi.org/10.11606/issn.1679-9836.v105i3e-240350Open accessPopulations