Chronic low back pain and decreased physical activity are associated with social frailty incidence among community-dwelling older adults

Review written by Dr Mariana Wingood info

Key Points

  1. Chronic low back pain and social frailty are both prevalent among community-dwelling adults.
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) reported by about 40% of older adults is associated with decreased physical function, sarcopenia, and falls (1). Furthermore, about 47% of community-dwelling older adults experience social frailty (2). Social frailty is a state of decreased participation in social activities and social interaction (2). Among older adults, social frailty is associated with decreased ability to complete activities of daily living. However, little is known about the association between CLBP and social frailty.

The objective of this study was to examine the association between CLBP and physical activity and longitudinally assess the occurrence of social frailty in community-dwelling older adults with CLBP.

About 47% of community-dwelling older adults experience social frailty, which is a state of decreased participation in social activities and social interaction.
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For older adults with chronic low back pain, assessing step count may be valuable - this can be done utilizing simple pedometers, smart watches, or cell phone applications.

METHODS

Design: Prospective cohort study.

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