Inferior physical performance test results of 10,998 men in the MrOS Study is associated with high fracture risk

Björn E. Rosengren, Eva L. Ribom, Jan Åke Nilsson, Hans Mallmin, Östen Ljunggren, Claes Ohlsson, Dan Mellström, Mattias Lorentzon, Marcia Stefanick, Jodi Lapidus, Ping Chung Leung, Anthony Kwok, Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, Eric Orwoll, Magnus K. Karlsson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: most fractures are preceded by falls. Objective: the aim of this study was to determine whether tests of physical performance are associated with fractures. Subjects: a total of 10,998 men aged 65 years or above were recruited. Methods: questionnaires evaluated falls sustained 12 months before administration of the grip strength test, the timed stand test, the six-metre walk test and the twenty-centimetre narrow walk test. Means with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) are reported. P < 0.05 is a statistically significant difference. Results: fallers with a fracture performed worse than non-fallers on all tests (all P < 0.001). Fallers with a fracture performed worse than fallers with no fractures both on the right-hand-grip strength test and on the six-metre walk test (P < 0.001). A score below -2 standard deviations in the right-hand-grip strength test was associated with an odds ratio of 3.9 (95% CI: 2.1-7.4) for having had a fall with a fracture compared with having had no fall and with an odds ratio of 2.6 (95% CI: 1.3-5.2) for having had a fall with a fracture compared with having had a fall with no fracture.Conclusion: the right-hand-grip strength test and the six-metre walk test performed by old men help discriminate fallers with a fracture from both fallers with no fracture and non-fallers.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numberafs010
Pages (from-to)339-344
Number of pages6
JournalAge and Ageing
Volume41
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2012

Keywords

  • Elderly
  • Falls
  • Fractures
  • Men
  • Old
  • Physical performance tests

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Aging
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

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