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Impact of musculoskeletal pain on balance and concerns of falling in mobility-limited, community-dwelling Danes over 75 years of age: a cross-sectional study

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Abstract

Background

In older adults, musculoskeletal pain is associated with increased concerns of falling, reduced balance and increased occurrence of falls. In younger adults, the intensity of neck pain and low back pain is associated with increased postural sway. It is not known if pain further impairs balance and concerns of falling in mobility-limited older adults, and if so, whether this is associated with different intensities of pain.

Objective

This study examined whether mobility-limited older adults with mild or intense neck pain and/or low back pain have significantly increased postural sway as measured by centre of pressure (COP) changes and concerns of falling compared to those without pain.

Methods

48 older adults with a gait speed of < 0.9 m/s from Odense, Denmark were recruited through the public health service. Self-reported neck pain, low back pain, and concerns of falling were recorded on questionnaires. Sway range, velocity and area were recorded on a force plate in a comfortable standing stance. Pain intensity was rated on an 11 point numerical rating scale (0–10). Participants were sub-grouped into mild (0–4) and intense (> 5) neck pain or low back pain.

Results

Intense neck pain was associated with increased anterior-posterior sway range and area of sway. Intense low back pain was associated with increased concerns of falling.

Conclusion

Intense neck pain in mobility-limited older adults is associated with significant changes in postural balance, and intense low back pain is associated with significantly higher concerns of falling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, PO Box 71, Bundoora, Melbourne, 3083, VIC, Australia

    Julie C. Kendall, Azharuddin Fazalbhoy, Michael F. Azari & Stephen R. Robinson

  2. Section for Sport Science, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark

    Lars G. Hvid

  3. Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

    Jan Hartvigsen, Mathias Skjødt & Paolo Caserotti

  4. Nordic Institute of Chiropractic and Clinical Biomechanics, Odense, Denmark

    Jan Hartvigsen

Authors
  1. Julie C. Kendall
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  2. Lars G. Hvid
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  3. Jan Hartvigsen
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  4. Azharuddin Fazalbhoy
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  5. Michael F. Azari
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  6. Mathias Skjødt
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  7. Stephen R. Robinson
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  8. Paolo Caserotti
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Julie C. Kendall.

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Conflict of interest

All authors declare they do not have any conflict of interest.

Funding

This work was supported by an international stipend from the Foundation for Chiropractic Research and Postgraduate Education (Denmark) (Grant No. 14/603). The HANC study is supported by the European funding program INTERREG Iva (Grant No. 11/23147). Neither funding source had any involvement in: study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the article for publication.

Statement of human and animal rights

This trial was part of the Healthy Ageing Network of Competence (HANC) study (Clinical trial registration NCT02051725) and obtained ethics approval from the Regional Scientific Ethical Committees for Southern Denmark (approval S-20120149)

Informed consent

All participants gave informed consent as part of the HANC study.

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Kendall, J.C., Hvid, L.G., Hartvigsen, J. et al. Impact of musculoskeletal pain on balance and concerns of falling in mobility-limited, community-dwelling Danes over 75 years of age: a cross-sectional study. Aging Clin Exp Res 30, 969–975 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0876-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0876-7

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