Abstract
This work evaluated activity levels in a group of healthy older adults to establish a target activity level for adults of similar age after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). With the decreasing age of TJA patients, it is essential to have a reference for activity level in younger patients as activity level affects quality of life and implant design. 54 asymptomatic, healthy older adults with no clinical evidence of lower extremity OA participated. The main outcome measure, average daily step count, was measured using an accelerometer-based activity monitor. On average the group took 8813 ± 3611 steps per day, approximately 4000 more steps per day than has been previously reported in patients following total joint arthroplasty. The present work provides a reference for activity after joint arthroplasty which is relevant given the projected number of people under the age of 65 who will undergo joint arthroplasty in the coming years.
Highlights
It is well accepted that levels of physical activity in older adults relate to physical and cognitive performance measures
The present work describes activity levels, in terms of average daily step count for a specific subset of adults, that is, older adults between the ages of 45 and 70 who are without any evidence of clinical osteoarthritis in the hips and knees
In the population of the present work, the average number of steps taken per day was close to 9000, which is approximately 4000 steps per day greater than has been previously reported in individuals after total joint arthroplasty [4,5,6,7] and approaches the recommended 10,000 steps suggested as a goal for physical fitness [8]
Summary
It is well accepted that levels of physical activity in older adults relate to physical and cognitive performance measures. A meta-analysis examining step counts assessed by pedometer in adults found that activity levels are related to age with activity in adults 18–65 approaching the 10,000-step recommendation while in those over 65 the mean daily step count was approximately 6500 steps [9]. While much can be gained from this meta-analysis it does not provide information concerning activity levels in healthy older adults who are free from clinical evidence of osteoarthritis in the lower extremities. Such information would provide a realistic benchmark for activity levels in patients after joint replacement who often have expectations of returning to similar activity levels as their peers
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