Effects of age and gender on maximum voluntary range of motion of the upper body joints

The maximum voluntary range of motion (ROM) of the major joints of the upper body was studied in a seated position and compared between young and elderly subjects. A total of 41 subjects (22 young male and female subjects aged 25 to 35 years, 19 elderly male and female subjects aged 65 to 80 years) took part in the experiment. In total, 13 maximum voluntary joint motions were performed by each subject. Age was found to have a non-uniform effect on the ROM of the joints investigated in this study. Its effect on ROM was joint specific and motion specific. The highest loss in ROM was observed in the neck and trunk, especially for neck extension, lateral flexion and axial rotation as well as for trunk lateral flexion and axial rotation. No significant age differences were observed in the elbow and wrist joint ROMs. The effect of gender on joint ROM was much weaker than that of age. Only four among the 26 joint ROMs investigated in this study were significantly different between the two gender groups.