The influence of locomotive syndrome on health-related quality of life in a community-living population.

OBJECTIVES

The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) has proposed the term "locomotive syndrome" (LS) to designate a condition in individuals with musculoskeletal disease in high-risk groups who are highly likely to require nursing care. The present study investigated the influence of LS on the quality of life (QOL) of a community-living population.

METHODS

A total of 386 subjects ≥ 50 years of age were enrolled in the study. Those whose scores on the 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale were ≥16 were defined as having LS. Participants answered the JOA Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) and visual analogue scales (VAS) for low back pain, leg pain, leg numbness, and left and right knee pain; the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ); and the Short Form 36 (SF-36). We compared the scores on the three QOL measures between subjects diagnosed with and without LS.

RESULTS

There were 62 people defined as having LS. Subjects with LS scored significantly lower on the JOABPEQ and SF-36 than those without LS. They also had significantly higher scores on the five VASs and the RDQ compared with those without LS.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that LS strongly impacted QOL and the scores from the VASs. LS appears to be a useful concept for screening subjects who are experiencing a lowered QOL due to musculoskeletal diseases, especially degenerative lumbar diseases and knee osteoarthritis.