認知症者の握力における3タイプの測定方法および嚥下障害の関連性の検討

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the most effective ways of grip strength measurement in people who have dementia. 22 Alzhehimer's disease patients and 11 normal elderly women were tested in this study. Two types of dynamometers, the Smedley dynamometer (s-type) and the Jammer hand dynamometer (j-type), were used in this study. We examined s-type with elbow joint flexion, s-type with elbow joint extension and j-type with elbow joint flexion. We also considered of the relationship with swallowing disorder. As a result, Alzhehimer's disease patients have weaker grip strength, and subjects with low cognitive function are more susceptible to being influenced by the measurement techniques. There was a trend that with elbow joint extension, they had weaker grip strength than with elbow joint flexion. It suggests that visual information to see their hands when they manipulate the hand dynamometer is useful to measure the reliable grip strength of dementia. This result indicates using Smedley dynamometers with elbow joint flexion is a suitable way to measure grip strength in Alzhehimer's disease patients. Swallowing function also correlated with measurement grip strength among them.