Musculoskeletal impairments and physical disablement among the aged.

This article summarizes the results of a longitudinal investigation of the progression of sight, hearing, and musculoskeletal impairments and their association with change in physical disability, in 10 ADLs among members of the Massachusetts Health Care Panel Study. The findings confirm widely held clinical beliefs that specific types of musculoskeletal decrement are an important cause of physical disability among older persons. Decrement in hand function is a significant musculoskeletal impairment influencing limitations in Basic ADL, and progression of Instrumental ADL dysfunction is influenced by progression of lower extremity impairments. Progression of sight and hearing impairments was not associated with change in physical disability. Musculoskeletal impairments, one of the most prevalent and symptomatic chronic complaints of middle and old age, deserve increased attention from epidemiologists, disability researchers, and clinicians seeking ways to prevent disablement among the aged.