Lower Extremity Muscle Strength and Risk of Self-Reported Hip or Knee Osteoarthritis

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the gender-specific longitudinal association between quadriceps strength and self-reported, physician-diagnosed hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Subjects were 3081 community-dwelling adults who were free of OA, joint symptoms and injuries, completed a maximum treadmill exercise test, had isokinetic knee extension and flexion and isotonic leg press strength measurements taken at baseline and returned at least one written follow-up survey. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results: Women with moderate or high isokinetic quadriceps strength had a significantly reduced risk (55% to 64%) of hip or knee OA. A similar, nonsignificant trend was noted among men. Moderate isotonic leg press strength was protective for hip or knee osteoarthritis among men only. Conclusions: These results suggest that quadriceps weakness is an independent and modifiable risk factor for lower extremity OA, particularly among women

Physical Activity and Public Health in Older Adults: Recommendation From the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association

Objective - To issue a recommendation on the types and amounts of physical activity needed to improve and maintain health in older adults. Participants - A panel of scientists with expertise in public health, behavioral science, epidemiology, exercise science, medicine, and gerontology. Evidence - The expert panel reviewed existing consensus statements and relevant evidence from primary research articles and reviews of the literature. Process: After drafting a recommendation for the older adult population and reviewing drafts of the Updated Recommendation from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA) for Adults, the panel issued a final recommendation on physical activity for older adults. Summary - The recommendation for older adults is similar to the updated ACSM/AHA recommendation for adults, but has several differences including: the recommended intensity of aerobic activity takes into account the older adult\u27s aerobic fitness; activities that maintain or increase flexibility are recommended; and balance exercises are recommended for older adults at risk of falls. In addition, older adults should have an activity plan for achieving recommended physical activity that integrates preventive and therapeutic recommendations. The promotion of physical activity in older adults should emphasize moderate-intensity aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening activity, reducing sedentary behavior, and risk management

Functional Health Status as a Predictor of Mortality in Men and Women Over 65

This study evaluated the effect of functional health status on mortality in a sample of community-dwelling older people. White and African-American self-respondents to the 1986 National Health Interview Survey Functional Health Supplement ( n = 5, 320) were included in the study. Functional health status was measured by a ten-item unidimensional activities of daily living-instrumental activities of daily living (ADL-IADL) scale and a three-item cognitive ADL scale. Proportional hazards regression was used to evaluate the effect of increasing score on the ten-item ADL-IADL scale on risk of mortality over a 5-year period while controlling for demographic, social, and health status covariates. In both men and women, increasing score on the ADL-IADL scale was predictive of mortality, adjusting for increasing age, poor self-rated health, low body mass index in women, and being an unmarried man. These findings indicate that a unidimensional scale consisting of both ADL and IADL items is useful in predicting mortality, controlling for the effect of covariates in sex-specific models

The Association of Self-Reported Measures With Poor Training Outcomes Among Male and Female US Navy Recruits

This prospective study evaluated the association of self-reported health habits and behaviors in 2,930 Navy recruits with poor training outcomes, defined as graduating late or separating from training. Although 17% of the men and 21% of the women had a poor training outcome, results suggest that some self-reported measures were associated with poor training outcomes. Men who did not run or jog at least 1 month before basic training or had a previous lower limb injury without complete recovery and women reporting the same or less physical activity compared with their same-age counterparts were more likely to have a poor training outcome. An important first step in decreasing poor training outcomes is encouraging incoming recruits to participate in physical activity and taking steps to identify and rehabilitate recruits who are not completely healed from a lower limb musculoskeletal injury before reporting to basic training

Self-Reported Smoking and Musculoskeletal Overuse Injury Among Male and Female US Marine Corps Recruits

The association between self-reported smoking and overuse injury in a cohort of young men (n=900) and women (n=597) undergoing 12 weeks of standardized military instruction, after adjustment for physical activity, health history, and incoming fitness tests was examined. The outcome includes all International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision codes related to injuries resulting from cumulative microtrauma (overuse injuries). The short survey asked about the subject’s demographics, smoking habits, prior injuries sustained, physical activity level, selfperceived fitness, and (for women) menstrual history. From the survey, 4 questions established smoking behavior: smoked at least 100 cigarettes in lifetime, age smoked a whole cigarette for the first time, how many cigarettes smoked during the last 30 days, and how many cigarettes smoked per day during the last 30 days. None of the adjusted hazard ratios for the smoking questions were associated with an increased risk of overuse injury for either sex. Furthermore, this study did not find a significant association with respect to smoking and all injuries in either men or women. In conclusion, smoking does not appear to be an independent risk factor for overuse injury in either young men or women during 12 weeks of standardized military instruction

Risk of Institutionalization Among Community Long-Term Care Clients With Dementia

South Carolina Community Long-Term Care (CLTC) data were used to identify factors increasing the risk of institutionalization in people with dementia. Clients diagnosed withdementia and observed at least twice between June 1993 and December 1994 (N = 786)were studied. Logistic regression determined that clients with a decline in ADL function whowere white, had a nonrelative or child as a caregiver, and were diagnosed with Alzheimer'sdisease were at increased risk of institutionalization. Identifying CLTC clients at increased risk of institutionalization could be useful in designing additional interventions to prevent institutionalization or in planning the transition to institutional care