Inferior physical performance test results of 10,998 men in the MrOS Study is associated with high fracture risk.
BACKGROUND
most fractures are preceded by falls.


OBJECTIVE
the aim of this study was to determine whether tests of physical performance are associated with fractures.


METHODS
a total of 10,998 men aged 65 years or above were recruited.


METHODS
questionnaires evaluated falls sustained 12 months before administration of the grip strength test, the timed stand test, the six-metre walk test and the twenty-centimetre narrow walk test. Means with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) are reported. P < 0.05 is a statistically significant difference.


RESULTS
fallers with a fracture performed worse than non-fallers on all tests (all P < 0.001). Fallers with a fracture performed worse than fallers with no fractures both on the right-hand-grip strength test and on the six-metre walk test (P < 0.001). A score below -2 standard deviations in the right-hand-grip strength test was associated with an odds ratio of 3.9 (95% CI: 2.1-7.4) for having had a fall with a fracture compared with having had no fall and with an odds ratio of 2.6 (95% CI: 1.3-5.2) for having had a fall with a fracture compared with having had a fall with no fracture.


CONCLUSIONS
the right-hand-grip strength test and the six-metre walk test performed by old men help discriminate fallers with a fracture from both fallers with no fracture and non-fallers.
Clinical and Molecular Osteoporosis Research Unit, Department of Orthopaedics and Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmo,  Sweden.
Björn E
BE
Rosengren
Eva L
EL
Ribom
Jan-Åke
JÅ
Nilsson
Hans
H
Mallmin
Osten
O
Ljunggren
Claes
C
Ohlsson
Dan
D
Mellström
Mattias
M
Lorentzon
Marcia
M
Stefanick
Jodi
J
Lapidus
Ping Chung
PC
Leung
Anthony
A
Kwok
Elizabeth
E
Barrett-Connor
Eric
E
Orwoll
Magnus K
MK
Karlsson
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018737:Hand Strength; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D054526:Men's Health; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016138:Walking