Commonly measured constructs of mobility included walking , climbing stairs , and lower extremity function .
There was heterogeneity in ways of defining and measuring mobility limitation in older adults living in the community .
Mobility is critical in maintaining independence in older adults .
This study aims to systematic ally review the scientific literature to identify measures of mobility limitation for community-dwelling older adults .
Musculoskeletal pain is associated with incident mobility disability in community-dwelling elders.
BACKGROUND Identifying mobility disability risk factors may facilitate development of interventions promoting functional independence in older persons . We tested the hypothesis that musculoskeletal pain is associated with first occurrence of severe mobility disability . METHODS In a prospect i ve observational study at 40 community-based sites , 759 older Catholic clergy in the Rush Religious Orders Study without baseline dementia , stroke , Parkinson 's disease , or severe performance-based mobility disability ( defined as gait speed less than or equal to 0.4 m/s ) and at least one follow-up mobility evaluation were evaluated over a mean of 8.5 ( SD = 3.8 ) years . All participants were queried about musculoskeletal pain in the year before baseline and underwent annual assessment of mobility . RESULTS Using a proportional hazards model adjusted for age , sex , and education , the hazard for incident severe mobility disability was greater for participants reporting pain in the year before baseline ( odds ratio = 1.47 , 95 % confidence interval = 1.17 - 1.85 ) . Results were unchanged after adjusting for self-reported mobility disability , gait speed , depressive symptoms , body mass index , physical activity , chronic medical conditions , and analgesic use . Compared with no report of musculoskeletal pain , musculoskeletal pain in one or two areas was associated with a 30 % greater hazard for incident disability ( odds ratio = 1.31 , 95 % confidence interval = 1.00 - 1.70 ) . Musculoskeletal pain in three or more areas was associated with an 80 % greater hazard for incident disability ( odds ratio = 1.80 , 95 % confidence interval = 1.31 - 2.47 ) . In participants without baseline self-reported mobility disability ( n = 486 ) , musculoskeletal pain was associated with greater hazard for incident self-reported mobility disability ( odds ratio = 1.38 , 95 % confidence interval = 1.11 - 1.73 ) . CONCLUSION In older persons , musculoskeletal pain is associated with incident mobility disability
Commonly measured constructs of mobility included walking , climbing stairs , and lower extremity function .
There was heterogeneity in ways of defining and measuring mobility limitation in older adults living in the community .
Mobility is critical in maintaining independence in older adults .
This study aims to systematic ally review the scientific literature to identify measures of mobility limitation for community-dwelling older adults .