Strategies for posture transfer adopted by elders during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit.

This study investigated whether three posture-transfer strategies, No support, Chair-arm, and Cane, were associated with the smallest hip-compressed angle and the smallest ankle-compressed angle during sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit for 12 elders (M age = 81.3 yr., SD = 5.9) who volunteered to participate. Using an optoelectronic movement analyzer, the smallest compressed angles of the hip and ankle were measured during standing up and sitting down. The adopted strategies had significant effects on the smallest hip-compressed angle, but not the smallest ankle-compressed angle. Although cane use led to a larger trunk angular displacement than did chair-arm use, a cane can provide help during the whole transfer process. These two strategies may be seen as adaptive mechanisms to decrease risk of anterior disequilibrium.