Lower Leg Power and Grip Strength are Associated with Increased Fall Injury Risk in Older Men: the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Past research has not investigated both lower-extremity power and upper-extremity strength in the same fall injury study, particularly non-fracture fall injuries.METHODS: In the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study (baseline: N=5,994; age 73.7±5.9 years; 10.2% non-White), fall injuries (yes/no) were assessed prospectively with questionnaires approximately every 3 years over 9 years. Maximum leg power (Watts) from Nottingham single leg press and maximum grip strength (kg) from handheld dynamometry were assessed at baseline and standardized to kg body weight. Physical performance included gait speed (6m usual; narrow walk) and chair stands speed.RESULTS: Of men with =1/4 follow-ups (N=5,178; age 73.4±5.7 years), 40.4% (N=2,090) had =1 fall injury. In fully adjusted repeated-measures logistic regressions, lower power/kg and grip strength/kg had higher fall injury risk (trend across quartiles: both p<0.0001), with lower quartiles at significantly increased risk vs. highest Q4 except for grip strength Q3 vs. Q4. Fall injury risk was 19% higher per 1 standard deviation (SD) lower power/kg (95%CI: 1.12-1.26) and 16% higher per SD lower grip strength/kg (95%CI: 1.10-1.23). In models including both leg power/kg and grip strength/kg, ORs were similar and independent of each other and physical performance (leg power/kg OR per SD=1.13, 95%CI: 1.06-1.20; grip strength/kg OR per SD=1.11, 95%CI: 1.05-1.17).CONCLUSIONS: Lower leg power/kg and grip strength/kg predicted future fall injury risk in older men independent of physical performance. Leg power potentially identifies fall injury risk better than grip strength at higher muscle function, though grip strength may be more suitable in clinical/practice settings.

View details for DOI 10.1093/gerona/glac122

View details for PubMedID 35662329