Citation

Muraki S, Akune T, Oka H, En-Yo Y, Yoshida M, Nakamura K, Kawaguchi H, Yoshimura N. Arthritis Care Res. (2010) 2011; 63(10): 1425-1431.

Affiliation

Department of Clinical Motor System Medicine, 22nd Century Medical & Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. murakis-ort@h.u-tokyo.ac.jp.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/acr.20562

PMID

21793231

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: There is little information on falls by sex and age strata in Japan, and few factors associated with falls have been established; however, association between bone and joint diseases and falls remains unclear. Here, we examined prevalence of fall by sex and age strata, determined its association with radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee and lumbar spine, and determined knee and lower back pain after single and multiple falls. METHODS: A questionnaire assessed number of falls during 12 months preceding baseline. Knee and lumbar spine radiographs were read by Kellgren Lawrence (KL) grade; radiographic knee OA and lumbar spondylosis were defined as KL = 3 or 4. Knee and lower back pain were estimated by an interview. RESULTS: A total of 587 men and 1,088 women (mean age, 65.3 ± 12.0 years) were analyzed. During 1 year, 79 (13.5%) men and 207 (19.0%) women reported at least one fall. With increasing age, prevalence of multiple falls was higher in women, but lower in elderly men over 60. In men, few factors were significantly associated with falls. In women, radiographic knee OA and lumbar spondylosis, as well as knee and lower back pain, were significantly associated with multiple falls without adjustment. Lower back pain and knee pain were independently associated with multiple falls in women after adjustment. CONCLUSION: We examined prevalence of single and multiple falls and factors associated with falls in men and women. Lower back pain and knee pain were significantly associated with multiple falls in women.

Language: en