Pain and fractures are independently related to lower walking speed and grip strength: Results from the population study “Good Ageing in Skåne”

Abstract

Background Earlier reports on reduced physical performance and osteoporosis-related fractures have mostly been short-term studies. The aim of this investigation was to examine the effects of fractures on physical functioning 3 years after trauma, the latter being stratified for pain.

Participants and methods The study consisted of a population-based case-control study including 289 subjects from the “Good Ageing in Skåne” project. Men and women with fractures, aged 60–93 years, were divided into one group with pain (FP, n = 71) and one without pain (FnP, n = 53). Fractures included vertebrae, hip, pelvis or ankle according to the national medical register. A third group of subjects without fractures or pain (CnP, n = 165) was used as control. Pain during the previous month, health variables, lifestyle, medication, use of a walking aid, and sociodemographic variables were self-reported. Walking 15 m, 2 × 15 m, and timed get-up-and-go (TUG)—all at self-selected and maximum speed—and maximum handgrip strength were assessed objectively.

Results Among the FP patients, almost half of the group suffered pain on a daily basis. The subjects in the CnP and FnP groups performed significantly better than the FP patient group in all functional tests. Median time for walking a distance of 15 m at self-selected speed was 16, 13 and 12 sec for the CnP, FnP and FP groups, respectively. Both fracture and pain independently explained lower walking speed (self-selected and maximum) as well as TUG, adjusted for age, sex and co-morbidity in a multiple regression model. Those who had sustained fractures more than 3 years previously performed significantly better in walking 15 m and 2 × 15 m at both self-elected and maximum speed than those with a more recent fracture, irrespective of pain.

Interpretation After 3 years, patients who had sustained a fracture but who experienced no pain performed almost as well as control subjects. Pain and fracture were independently influenced by physical function.