TY - JOUR
T1 - Severe low back or lower limb pain is associated with recurrent falls among older Australians
AU - Tse, Amy Wing Wai
AU - Ward, Stephanie
AU - McNeil, John J.
AU - Barker, Anna
AU - Cicuttini, Flavia
AU - Fitzgibbon, Bernadette Mary
AU - Hussain, Sultana Monira
AU - Owen, Alice
AU - Wang, Yuanyuan
AU - Wolfe, Rory
AU - Gilmartin-Thomas, Julia Fiona Maree
N1 - Funding Information:
ALSOP was supported by funding from Monash University, ANZ Trustees, the Wicking Trust and the Mason Foundation. The ASPREE trial was supported by a grant (U01AG029824) from the National Institute on Ageing and the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, by grants (334047 and 1127060) from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, and by Monash University and the Victorian Cancer Agency. The funders were not involved in the study design, data collection, data analysis, manuscript preparation and/or publication decisions associated with this manuscript. Dr Gilmartin‐Thomas is funded by an NHMRC‐ARC Dementia Research Development Fellowship (APP1107476). Professor McNeil is funded by an NHMRC Fellowship (IG1173690). Dr Hussain is funded by an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (APP1142198).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. European Journal of Pain published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Pain Federation - EFIC ®.
PY - 2022/10
Y1 - 2022/10
N2 - Background: Few studies have explored the impact of low back or lower limb pain severity on recurrent (≥2) falls in older adults. Objectives: Investigate the association between the severity of low back or lower limb pain, and ≥2 falls or falls-related injuries. Methods: Community-dwelling Australian males and females in the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP), aged ≥70 years. Self-reported, cross-sectional questionnaire data regarding number of falls and falls-related injuries in the last 12 months; and sites and severity of pain experienced on most days. Adjusted relative risks (RR) were estimated from multivariable Poisson regression models, for males and females separately. Results: Of 14,892 ALSOP participants, 13% (n = 1983) reported ≥2 falls (‘recurrent fallers’) in the last 12 months. Males and females who reported severe low back, or severe lower limb pain on most days were more likely to report ≥2 falls in the last 12 months compared to those with mild pain (lower back: males RR = 1.70 and females RR = 1.5, p = 0.001; lower limb: males RR = 2.0, p < 0.001 and females RR = 1.4, p = 0.003). Female recurrent fallers who reported severe low back (RR = 1.3, p = 0.029) or lower limb (RR = 1.2, p = 0.024) pain on most days were more likely to report a falls-related injury in the last 12 months compared to females with mild pain. Conclusion: Severe low back or lower limb pain was associated with an increased likelihood of recurrent falls (males/females) or falls-related injuries (females only). Assessment of severe low back and lower limb pain should be considered as a priority when undertaking falls-risk evaluation. Significance: Severe low back pain, or severe lower limb pain is associated with an increased likelihood of recurrent falls in older males and females, and an increased likelihood of falls-related injuries in older female recurrent fallers. Assessment and management of severe low back and lower limb pain should be prioritized when undertaking falls-risk assessment. Future longitudinal research is required to further interrogate this relationship and its underlying mechanisms.
AB - Background: Few studies have explored the impact of low back or lower limb pain severity on recurrent (≥2) falls in older adults. Objectives: Investigate the association between the severity of low back or lower limb pain, and ≥2 falls or falls-related injuries. Methods: Community-dwelling Australian males and females in the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP), aged ≥70 years. Self-reported, cross-sectional questionnaire data regarding number of falls and falls-related injuries in the last 12 months; and sites and severity of pain experienced on most days. Adjusted relative risks (RR) were estimated from multivariable Poisson regression models, for males and females separately. Results: Of 14,892 ALSOP participants, 13% (n = 1983) reported ≥2 falls (‘recurrent fallers’) in the last 12 months. Males and females who reported severe low back, or severe lower limb pain on most days were more likely to report ≥2 falls in the last 12 months compared to those with mild pain (lower back: males RR = 1.70 and females RR = 1.5, p = 0.001; lower limb: males RR = 2.0, p < 0.001 and females RR = 1.4, p = 0.003). Female recurrent fallers who reported severe low back (RR = 1.3, p = 0.029) or lower limb (RR = 1.2, p = 0.024) pain on most days were more likely to report a falls-related injury in the last 12 months compared to females with mild pain. Conclusion: Severe low back or lower limb pain was associated with an increased likelihood of recurrent falls (males/females) or falls-related injuries (females only). Assessment of severe low back and lower limb pain should be considered as a priority when undertaking falls-risk evaluation. Significance: Severe low back pain, or severe lower limb pain is associated with an increased likelihood of recurrent falls in older males and females, and an increased likelihood of falls-related injuries in older female recurrent fallers. Assessment and management of severe low back and lower limb pain should be prioritized when undertaking falls-risk assessment. Future longitudinal research is required to further interrogate this relationship and its underlying mechanisms.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85137193243&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/ejp.2013
DO - 10.1002/ejp.2013
M3 - Article
C2 - 35862463
AN - SCOPUS:85137193243
SN - 1090-3801
VL - 26
SP - 1923
EP - 1937
JO - European Journal of Pain
JF - European Journal of Pain
IS - 9
ER -