Differences in Dexterity and Upper and Lower Limb Muscle Strength among Older Residents in Urban and Rural Mongolia

Baasankhuu ERDENEE, Yoshitaka SHIBA, Munkh-Erdeme BAYARTAI, Yoshitsugu OMORI, Yanjinsuren BATBAYAR, Akie KAWAMURA, Eri TAKAHASHI, Maki OGASAWARA, Takashi SAITO, Namuun GANBAATAR, Batlkham DAMBADARJAA, Ariunaa KHADBAATAR, Toshimasa SONE, Yasuhiro ENDO
Purpose:

To clarify the characteristics of grip strength, knee extension strength, and dexterity among older residents in urban and rural Mongolia.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Fukushima Medical University (Approval No. REC2023-064). All participants were fully informed about the study's objectives, procedures, and their right to withdraw at any time. Written informed consent was obtained before participation. The study included community-dwelling older adults from Ulaanbaatar (urban) and Mandalgobi (rural). Data were collected on age, height, weight, grip strength (dominant hand), knee extension strength (dominant leg), and dexterity. Grip strength was measured with a Smedley-type dynamometer, and knee extension strength was assessed using a handheld dynamometer. Dexterity was measured with the Pardue Pegboard Test (PPT), which involved four tasks. Data were compared between Ulaanbaatar and Mandalgobi residents by gender using the Mann-Whitney U test, with statistical significance set at p 0.05.

Results:

Data were collected from 8 men and 28 women in Ulaanbaatar and 10 men and 26 women in Mandalgobi. Median values for Ulaanbaatar men were: age 71.0 years, height 163.8 cm, weight 72.0 kg, grip strength 37.5 kgf, knee extension strength 332.0 N, and PPT (dominant hand: 10.0 pegs, non-dominant hand: 10.0 pegs, both hands: 17.0 pegs, assembly task: 19.0 pegs). For Mandalgobi men, median values were: age 71.0 years, height 164.5 cm, weight 73.0 kg, grip strength 28.5 kgf, knee extension strength 252.5 N, and PPT (10.0, 9.0, 17.0, and 16.5 pegs, respectively). Ulaanbaatar men had significantly higher knee extension strength (p 0.01) than Mandalgobi men. For Ulaanbaatar women, median values were: age 71.5 years, height 153.5 cm, weight 62.0 kg, grip strength 24.8 kgf, knee extension strength 251.0 N, and PPT (12.0, 10.0, 16.0, and 18.0 pegs, respectively). For Mandalgobi women, the median values were: age 70.5 years, height 152.5 cm, weight 58.9 kg, grip strength 19.7 kgf, knee extension strength 176.0 N, and PPT (10.0, 9.5, 16.0, and 16.0 pegs, respectively). Ulaanbaatar women demonstrated significantly higher grip strength, knee extension strength (p 0.01), dominant hand dexterity (p 0.01), and performance in the assembly task (p = 0.02) compared to Mandalgobi women.

Conclusion(s):

Older men’s lower limb strength, and older women’s upper and lower limb strength and dexterity in rural Mongolia, may be lower than those in urban areas. Physiotherapy within the rehabilitation and welfare systems in rural Mongolia may need to focus more on improving physical functions.

Implications:

This study provides valuable data for the effective delivery of essential information to healthcare and welfare systems for older adults in Mongolia.

Funding acknowledgements:
This work was not supported by any funding.
Keywords:
physical functions
mongolia
older adults
Primary topic:
Health promotion and wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Second topic:
Globalisation: health systems, policies and strategies
Third topic:
Older people
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
Ethics Committee of Fukushima Medical University
Provide the ethics approval number:
REC2023-064
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
No

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