title: Patients with musculoskeletal conditions do less vigorous physical activity and have poorer physical fitness than population controls: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare physical activity and physical fitness in patients with various musculoskeletal conditions receiving physiotherapy in primary care with population controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixty-seven patients with musculoskeletal conditions receiving physiotherapy in primary care and 313 population controls from various settings and geographical areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physical activity was measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short-form (IPAQ-sf) and reported in metabolic equivalents (METs). The 6-minute walk test and 30-second sit-to-stand test reflected cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular strength, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Differences in physical activity between the groups were explored using the Mann-Whitney U-test. The patient group reported significantly less vigorous activity compared with the control group {median 0 [interquartile range (IQR) 0 to 960] vs median 240 [IQR 0 to 1440] MET minutes/week, respectively)} (P=0.001). A similar proportion of patients (68%) and controls (75%) reached the recommended level of health-enhancing physical activity (P=0.11). Linear regression analyses adjusted for age, body mass index and gender showed significantly poorer fitness in the patient group compared with the control group, reflected by the 6-minute walk test and the 30-second sit-to-stand test {mean difference 69m [95% confidence interval (CI) 52 to 85; P≤0.001] and six repetitions [95% CI 5 to 7; P≤0.001], respectively}.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with various long-term musculoskeletal conditions receiving physiotherapy in primary care had significantly poorer physical fitness and reported less vigorous physical activity compared with population controls.
authors: Institute of Health and Society, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: tuva.moseng@medisin.uio.no.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Moseng
authors: Institute of Health and Society, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors: A T
authors: AT
authors: Tveter
authors: Institute of Health and Society, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Division of Surgery and Clinical Neuroscience, Orthopaedic Department, Section of Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Holm
authors: Institute of Health and Society, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; National Resource Centre for Rehabilitation in Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmets Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Dagfinrud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009664:Norway; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Control groups; Motor activity; Musculoskeletal diseases; Physical fitness; Physical therapy modalities; Primary health care