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Physical performance, bone and joint diseases, and incidence of falls in Japanese men and women: a longitudinal cohort study

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Abstract

Summary

This study examined whether physical performance and bone and joint diseases were risk factors for falls in 745 men and 1,470 women from the Research on Osteoarthritis/osteoporosis Against Disability (ROAD) study (mean, 69.7 years). Slower walking speed was a risk factor for falls in men and women. Knee pain was a risk factor for falls in women.

Introduction

The objective of the present study was to clarify the incidence of falls by sex and age and to determine whether physical performance and bone and joint diseases are risk factors for falls in men and women using a large-scale population-based cohort of the ROAD.

Methods

A total of 745 men and 1,470 women were analyzed in the present study (mean age, 68.5 years). A questionnaire assessed the number of falls during 3 years of follow-up. Grip strength and walking speed were measured at baseline. Knee and lumbar spine radiographs were read by Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) grade; radiographic knee osteoarthritis and lumbar spondylosis were defined as KL = 3 or 4. Knee and lower back pain were estimated by an interview.

Results

During a mean follow-up of 3 years, 141 (18.9 %) men and 362 (24.6 %) women reported at least one fall. Slower walking speed was a risk factor for falls in men (0.1 m/s decrease; odds ratio [OR], 1.15; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.09–1.23) and women (0.1 m/s decrease; OR, 1.05; 95 % CI, 1.01–1.10). Knee pain was also a risk factor for falls (OR, 1.38; 95 % CI, 1.03–1.84) in women, but lower back pain was not.

Conclusion

We examined the incidence and risk factors for falls in men and women. Slower walking speed was a risk factor for falls in men and women. Knee pain was a risk factor for falls in women.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S19109007, B20390182, C20591737, and C20591774), for Young Scientists (A18689031), and for Exploratory Research (19659305) from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; H17-Men-eki-009, H18-Choujyu-037, H20-Choujyu-009, H21-Chouju-Wakate-011, and H22-Chouju-Wakate-007 from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare; Research Aid from the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA-Subsidized Science Project Research 2006–1); and Grant No. 166 from the Japan Orthopaedics and Traumatology Foundation. The authors thank Dr. Yamamoto, Dr. Ishibashi, Dr. Anamizu, and members of the Department of Orthopaedics and Mr. Kutsuma and other members of the Department of Radiology at Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Medical Center; Mrs. Tomoko Takijiri and other members of the Public Office in Hidakagawa Town; and Mrs. Tamako Tsutsumi, Mrs. Kanami Maeda, and other members of the Public Office in Taiji Town for their assistance in the location and scheduling of participants for examinations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Motor System Medicine, 22nd Century Medical and Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan

    S. Muraki & T. Akune

  2. Department of Joint Disease Research, 22nd Century Medical and Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    H. Oka & N. Yoshimura

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan

    Y. Ishimoto, K. Nagata & M. Yoshida

  4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    F. Tokimura

  5. Rehabilitation Services Bureau, National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, Saitama, Japan

    K. Nakamura

  6. Department of Sensory and Motor System Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    H. Kawaguchi

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  1. S. Muraki
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Correspondence to S. Muraki.

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Muraki, S., Akune, T., Oka, H. et al. Physical performance, bone and joint diseases, and incidence of falls in Japanese men and women: a longitudinal cohort study. Osteoporos Int 24, 459–466 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-012-1967-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-012-1967-0

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