Background The short physical performance battery is a widely used instrument for quantifying lower extremity function in older adults. However, its utility for predicting endurance-based measures of functional performance that are more difficult to conduct in clinical settings is unknown. An understanding of this could be particularly relevant in mobility impaired stroke survivors, for whom establishing the predictive strength of simpler to perform measures would aid in tracking broader categories of functional disability. This cross-sectiorial study was conducted to determine whether the short physical performance battery is related to functional measures with a strong endurance component. Methods Functional measures (short physical performance battery, peak aerobic capacity, and 6-minute walk) were obtained and compared for the first time in stroke survivors with hemiparetic gait. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to assess strength of the relationships (α P < .05). Results Forty-three stroke participants performed a standardized short physical performance battery. Forty-one of the subjects completed a 6-minute walk, and 40 completed a peak treadmill test. Mean short physical performance battery (6,3 ± 2.5 [mean ± SD]), 6-minute walk (242 ± 115 meters), and peak aerobic capacity (17.4 ± 5.4 mL/kg/min) indicated subjects had moderate to severely impaired lower extremity functional performance. The short physical performance battery was related to both 6-minute walk (r = 0,76; P < .0001) and peak fitness (r = 0.52; P < .001). Conclusions Our results show that the short physical performance battery may be reflective of endurance-based, longer-distance performance measures that would be difficult to perform in standard clinical stroke settings. Additional studies are needed to explore the value of using the short physical performance battery to assess rehabilitation-related functional progression after stroke.

Aging is associated with a decline in maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) that may be attenuated by chronic endurance exercise. This case study chronicles the changes in marathon times in a 91 year old man who completed 627 marathons and 117 ultramarathons over 42 years. He began running marathons at age 48. His yearly best times remained fairly constant at ~240 minutes from age 50 – 64 years and then gradually rose to about 260 minutes in his early seventies followed by a curvilinear deterioration as he approached his ninth decade. His times plateaued at ~ 600 minutes in his late eighties. Between ages 68 and 89 his VO2max declined from 43 to 20 ml/kg/min. His marathon times were highly correlated with his VO2max (r2=0.87). The decline in marathons times and VO2max may reflect the contributions of biological aging, changes in exercise training volume and intensity, injuries, and comorbid disease.

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