Number of falls in elderlies and adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA)

Abstract

<h3>Research Objectives</h3> to identify the number of falls in elderlies and adults with KOA; to analyze the perception of imbalance or knee instability; and to evaluate de function impairment of these patients. <h3>Design</h3> A cross-section survey study where patients with KOA answered a questionnaire about socioeconomic, number of falls, perception of imbalance or knee instability and function impairment analyzed by "Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index" (WOMAC). <h3>Setting</h3> General community of Macapá-AP, Brazil. <h3>Participants</h3> Eighteen KOA patients, from general community of Macapá-AP, Brazil, with 18 years or older have answered the questionnaire between March and June 2021. <h3>Interventions</h3> N/A. <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> Number of falls in the last 6 months, function impairment and perception of imbalance or knee instability. <h3>Results</h3> Data were collected from 18 subjects with KOA. There were 9 elderlies with a mean age of 72.2 years (±8.6) and 9 adults with a mean age of 41.1 years (±9.1). From this sample 44.4% of adults and 88.9% of elderlies with KOA reported episodes of falls. About perception of imbalance or knee instability, 77.8% of adults described have imbalance or knee instability, while 100% of elderlies have this perception. Adults with KOA had a score of function impairment of 30 (±13.5) and elderlies with 33.62 (±16.6) on the WOMAC function subscale (0-68 points), where higher scores indicate better physical function <h3>Conclusions</h3> Adults with KOA have a relevant percentage of falls and perception of imbalance or knee instability, and similar function impairment when compared with elderlies with KOA, showing that OA could be impairing knee joint proprioception and reducing balance and activities of daily living even in earlier ages with KOA. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> The authors declared no conflict of interest.