Evaluation of the Reproducibility of Jumping Mechanography

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Sarcopenia, the age-related decline in muscle mass and function (widely recognized as frailty), is increasingly being appreciated, primarily in the research environment. Interventions to prevent or treat sarcopenia can be anticipated to reduce falls, fractures and thereby to facilitate independence and improve quality of life for older adults. Unfortunately, there is no current consensus definition of sarcopenia, thereby impeding clinical recognition and treatment. It has been advocated that low appendicular (arm and leg) lean mass, as measured by DXA, be utilized as a clinical diagnostic tool to define sarcopenia. While such an approach is possible, however, muscle strength loss is more rapid than mass loss, indicating deterioration of muscle quality. Muscle quality may be affected by changes at the neuromuscular, cellular or subcellular levels; parameters not detected by measuring mass alone. Clearly, tools evaluating muscle performance, not simply mass, are needed to optimally identify, and subsequently monitor, treatment of older adults with sarcopenia. While current tests of muscle power/function (e.g., chair-rising, self-selected gait velocity, etc.) do correlate with functional limitation in older adults, these existing tests have limitations in that they cannot be performed in all people, may have yes/no results rather than a continuous scale and may not be highly precise. Thus, improved muscle function assessment tools are needed, both clinically and in research venues. Jumping mechanography is very likely one such methodology.

Official Title
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Evaluation of the Reproducibility of Jumping Mechanography in Older Adults and Comparison With Current Functional Assessment Tools

Conditions
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Sarcopenia

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Ambulatory, community dwelling men and women age ≥ 70 years Able and willing to sign informed consent Able to stand without assistance Exclusion Criteria: Abnormalities on screening laboratory assessment deemed to be clinically significant by the study investigators History of myocardial infarction within the prior six months or ongoing angina History of injury or surgery within the prior six months which limits the ability to ambulate History of severe end-organ disease, e.g., cardiovascular, hepatic, hematologic, pulmonary, etc., which might limit the ability to complete this study History of malignancy with metastasis to the musculoskeletal system Neuromuscular disease impairing balance to the degree of not being able to stand without assistance BMD T-score of less than -3.5 at any measured site and a prior hip or vertebral fracture

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 70 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Men<br>Men over 70 years old. | |
| Women<br>Women over 70 years old. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |