Decreased physical activity in patients with ankle osteoarthritis. A case-control study comparing daily step counts

The purpose of this study was to compare physical activity levels and the proportion of patients who met physical activity recommendations in patients with ankle osteoarthritis and controls.

Ankle osteoarthritis patients (n = 50) and controls (n = 50) were recruited. physical activity was measured using an accelerometer-based monitor. Physical activity parameters, including the step count/day, the proportion of patients who met physical activity recommendations of ≥7000 steps/day, and moderate to vigorous physical activity minutes/day, were compared between the patient groups.

The patients with ankle osteoarthritis walked 3998 steps/day, while the controls walked 6531 steps/day (P < .001). Only 7 (14%) ankle osteoarthritis patients and 17 (34%) controls met the physical activity recommendations of ≥7000 steps/day (P =  .01). Time spent performing moderate to vigorous physical activity was 58 and 78 min/day in the ankle osteoarthritis and controls, respectively.

The physical activity level of ankle osteoarthritis patients was lower than that of controls. Only a limited proportion of ankle osteoarthritis patients met the physical activity recommendation.