Skip to main content

Self-Reported Walking Limitation Increases Five-Year Fracture Risk

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 24, 2024.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 24, 2024 -- Walking limitation is significantly associated with five-year fracture risk, according to a study published online Jan. 23 in JAMA Network Open.

Dana Bliuc, Ph.D., from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Darlinghurst, Australia, and colleagues examined the association between a self-reported walking limitation of ≤1,000 m and five-year risk for fracture among 266,912 participants in the 45 and Up Study.

The researchers found that approximately 20 percent of participants reported a degree of limitation in walking ≤1,000 m at baseline, and during a mean follow-up of 4.1 years, 7,190 women and 4,267 men experienced an incident fracture. Both a little limitation and a lot of limitation were associated with a higher risk for fracture in both men and women compared with participants who reported no walking limitations (a little limitation among women: hazard ratio [HR], 1.32; a little limitation among men: HR, 1.46; a lot of limitation among women: HR, 1.60; a lot of limitation among men: HR, 2.03). Six in 10 fractures were attributable to walking limitations. This association was significant for hip, vertebral, and nonhip nonvertebral fracture, with risk ranging from 21 percent to more than 219 percent.

"In this study, self-reported walking limitations were common; given that they are easily detected, they should be sought by clinicians to identify high-risk candidates for further bone assessment," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Mean Cost of Bringing New Drug to U.S. Market Is $879.3 Million

TUESDAY, July 2, 2024 -- The mean cost of developing a new drug for the U.S. market is estimated to be $879.3 million when both drug development failure and capital costs are...

Patient–Primary Care Provider Language Concordance Tied to Better Outcomes

TUESDAY, July 2, 2024 -- Patient-family physician language concordance is associated with a lower risk for adverse outcomes, according to a study published online June 3...

Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam Improves Detection of Cognitive Issues in Primary Care

TUESDAY, July 2, 2024 -- A self-administered gerocognitive examination (SAGE) is easily incorporated into primary care provider (PCP) visits, and its use significantly increases...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.