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The Journals of Gerontology. Series B,... Jan 2016
Topics: Aged; Aging; Automobile Driving; Environment; Health Status Disparities; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Mental Health; Mobility Limitation; Quality of Life
PubMed: 26525226
DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbv096 -
Archives of Physical Medicine and... May 2023
Topics: Humans; Aged; Mobility Limitation; Cross-Sectional Studies
PubMed: 36724836
DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2023.01.006 -
Studies in Health Technology and... 2015The goal of the Agile Walker is to improve the outdoor mobility of healthy elderly people with some mobility limitations. It is a newly developed, all-terrain walker,...
The goal of the Agile Walker is to improve the outdoor mobility of healthy elderly people with some mobility limitations. It is a newly developed, all-terrain walker, equipped with an electric drive system and speed control that can assists elderly people to walk outdoors or to hike. The walker has a unique product design with an attractive look that will appeal to "active-agers" population. This paper describes product design requirements and the development process of the Agile Walker, its features and some preliminary testing results.
Topics: Equipment Design; Equipment Safety; Humans; Mobility Limitation; Walkers
PubMed: 26294513
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of the American Geriatrics... Jan 2015To determine risk factors and their combinations that predict late-life mortality.
OBJECTIVES
To determine risk factors and their combinations that predict late-life mortality.
DESIGN
Postal questionnaire.
SETTING
Veteran 1992 Project Survey.
PARTICIPANTS
Finnish Second World War veterans living in Finland (177,989 men, 48,745 women), with a participation rate of 93%.
MEASUREMENTS
Main outcomes were total, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and accident and violence (AAV) mortality. Absolute 10-year mortality risks for total mortality with combinations of different risk factors were calculated.
RESULTS
The strongest predictor of total mortality was self-reported walking difficulty (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.71-1.76 in men without disability, HR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.58-1.67 in men with disability, HR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.57-1.65 in women). The highest HRs of CVD mortality were for self-reported walking difficulty among men without disability (HR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.95-2.02) and among men with disability (HR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.82-1.94). In women, the highest HR for CVD mortality was for multimorbidity (HR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.79-1.96). For AAV mortality, the highest HRs were for falls in men and age in women. A combination of walking difficulty and multimorbidity had the highest absolute 10-year mortality risk for total mortality (0.730 in men without disability, 0.729 in men with disability, 0.487 in women).
CONCLUSION
Self-reported walking difficulty was the most important predictor of total mortality in all veteran groups and for CVD mortality in men. The study demonstrates the importance of self-reported walking difficulty and multimorbidity as markers of high mortality risk in Finnish war veterans.
Topics: Aged; Disabled Persons; Finland; Geriatric Assessment; Humans; Male; Mobility Limitation; Mortality; Predictive Value of Tests; Surveys and Questionnaires; Veterans
PubMed: 25557069
DOI: 10.1111/jgs.13201 -
Journal of Parkinson's Disease 2017While walking difficulties are common in people with Parkinson's disease (PD), little is known about factors that independently contribute to their perceived walking...
BACKGROUND
While walking difficulties are common in people with Parkinson's disease (PD), little is known about factors that independently contribute to their perceived walking difficulties.
OBJECTIVE
To identify factors that independently contribute to perceived walking difficulties in people with PD.
METHODS
This study involved 243 (62% men) participants; their mean (min-max) age and PD duration were 70 (45-93) and 8 (1-43) years, respectively. A postal survey preceded a home visit that included observations, clinical tests, questions and questionnaires that were administered as a structured interview. Perceived walking difficulties (dependent variable) were assessed with the self-administered generic Walk-12 (Walk-12G, scored 0-42, higher = worse). Independent variables included personal (e.g., age and general self-efficacy) and social environmental factors (e.g., social support and living situation) as well as disease-related factors including motor (e.g., freezing of gait (FOG) and postural instability) and non-motor symptoms (e.g., fatigue and orthostatic hypotension). Linear multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors that independently contributed to perceived walking difficulties.
RESULTS
Eight significant independent variables explained 56.3% of the variance in perceived walking difficulties. FOG was the strongest significant contributing factor to perceived walking difficulties, followed by general self-efficacy, fatigue, PD duration, lower extremity function, orthostatic hypotension, bradykinesia and postural instability.
CONCLUSION
Motor and non-motor symptoms as well as personal factors (i.e., general self-efficacy) seem to be of importance for perceived walking difficulties in PD. These findings might nurture future interventions that address modifiable factors in order to enhance walking ability in people with PD.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Fatigue; Female; Gait; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mobility Limitation; Parkinson Disease; Self Efficacy; Walking
PubMed: 28505982
DOI: 10.3233/JPD-161034 -
Zeitschrift Fur Gerontologie Und... Feb 2019
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Humans; Mobility Limitation; Range of Motion, Articular; Walking
PubMed: 30701296
DOI: 10.1007/s00391-018-01490-3 -
Adolescent Medicine: State of the Art... Aug 2012
Review
Topics: Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Foramen Ovale, Patent; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Angiography; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Migraine with Aura; Mobility Limitation; Nausea; Young Adult
PubMed: 23162936
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Clinical Rheumatology :... Jun 2014Scurvy is rare in developed countries but is known to cause lower-extremity pain and refusal to ambulate in children. Since the discovery of the link between scurvy and...
Scurvy is rare in developed countries but is known to cause lower-extremity pain and refusal to ambulate in children. Since the discovery of the link between scurvy and dietary deficiency of ascorbic acid, there has been a substantial decrease in its prevalence and recognition. Here we describe 3 cases of scurvy in young children presenting with difficulty walking. Only 1 of 3 patients had gingival lesions at the initial presentation. Two cases underwent an extensive evaluation for hematologic and rheumatologic diseases before the diagnosis of scurvy was made. Dietary histories eventually revealed that all 3 patients had sharply limited intake of fruits and vegetables secondary to oral aversion, and 1 patient had autism. Radiographic changes of long bones were observed in all patients. Interestingly, all patients had concomitant vitamin D deficiency. After replacement with vitamin C, all patients recovered and started to walk again with improved leg pain. These clinical manifestations and radiologic findings highlight the importance for rheumatologists to have a higher index of suspicion for scurvy in nonambulatory children.
Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Male; Mobility Limitation; Scurvy; Walking
PubMed: 24847751
DOI: 10.1097/RHU.0000000000000101 -
Research in Gerontological Nursing 2023
Topics: Humans; Mobility Limitation; Nursing Homes; Personal Autonomy
PubMed: 37526631
DOI: 10.3928/19404921-20230629-01 -
Journal of Physical Activity & Health Sep 2008Low levels of physical activity (PA) and poor fitness tend to predict a decline in mobility. The current study investigated whether PA modifies the predictive value of...
BACKGROUND
Low levels of physical activity (PA) and poor fitness tend to predict a decline in mobility. The current study investigated whether PA modifies the predictive value of health-related fitness (HRF) tests on difficulty in walking 2 km (WD).
METHODS
PA was assessed by self-reported questionnaires in 1990 and 1996. Subjects age 55 to 69 years and free of self-reported WD participated in assessment of HRF in 1996. Occurrence of WD was assessed by questionnaire in 2002 (n=537).
RESULTS
There were no statistically significant interactions between PA and HRF tests; thus, PA and HRF were both independent predictors of WD. Regardless of the PA level, the subjects in the poorest performing third in each HRF test had higher risk of WD than the subjects in the best performing third.
CONCLUSIONS
PA and HRF seemed to be independent predictors of WD, although the association of PA with WD was weaker than the association of HRF. Thus, PA did not modify the predictive value of HRF on WD.
Topics: Aged; Exercise; Female; Finland; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mobility Limitation; Physical Fitness; Predictive Value of Tests; Walking
PubMed: 18820347
DOI: 10.1123/jpah.5.5.732