Having difficulty walking a mile could be indicative of an increased risk of fracture, a new study suggests.
- The ability to walk a mile comfortably may help predict fracture risk, according to researchers at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research.
- Women who have difficulty walking have a 60% higher risk of fracture than those who can move without problem.
- For researchers, asking patients about their ability to walk could be a free, non-invasive way to find out if they are at increased risk of fracture.
Can you to walk one kilometer ? Your answer to this question may reveal clues about your future risk of fractures. Indeed, a study of Garvan Institute of Medical Research And published in the journal JAMA Network Openreveals that asking patients over the age of 45 about their walking abilities could allow doctors to identify those at increased risk of fracture.
Difficulty walking contributes to 60% of fractures
For their research into the link between walking skills and bone health, scientists examined data from almost 267,000 adults aged 45 and over living in New South Wales. (Australia). Volunteers were asked whether any health problems limited their ability to walk different distances. Over the next 5 years, the team recorded the frequency of fractures in the group.
The results show that one in five participants reported difficulty walking 1 km or more. Additionally, these people were more likely to suffer a fracture during the study. For example, women who reported having “a lot of difficulty” walking a kilometer had a 60% higher risk of fracture than those without problems. For men, the increased risk was greater than 100%.
Approximately 60% of all fractures were attributable to some level of walking limitation. “The link remained strong even after taking into account other factors like age, falls, previous fractures and weight, and the results were consistent across different fracture sites like hips, vertebrae, arms and legs”specifies communicated.
Walking ability and fracture: an effective risk screening tool?
For researchers, asking patients if they have difficulty walking a mile could help identify people at risk who might benefit from bone density screening or preventative treatment.
“Assessing fracture risk is usually based on a bone density test, which many people do not have when seeing their doctor.”indicates the main author of the study, Professor Jacqueline Centerhead of the clinical studies and epidemiology laboratory at Garvan Institute of Medical Research, in a press release. “Asking about walking ability takes just seconds and could be a free, non-invasive way to find out if someone needs to have their bone health checked.“
His team recognizes that walking limitations can have many causes beyond weak bones like heart disease or arthritis. However, having difficulty moving, even short distances, appears to be closely linked to fracture risk.
“We hope these results will encourage doctors to consider the ability to walk as a red flag for possible bone health problems. For patients, if you can’t comfortably walk a full mile, it may be wise to ask your doctor to have your bones checked.”concludes Dr. Dana Bliuc who also worked on this study.
