Walking Duration and Arthritis-Related Joint Pain in Older Adults: Findings From the 2019 BRFSS Survey

To explore associations between arthritis-related joint pain and walking duration as a primary physical activity among older adults with arthritis.

Cross-sectional secondary data analysis.

This study used data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), focusing on respondents aged 50 and older who self-reported a physician diagnosis of arthritis (N = 31,067). Weekly walking duration and joint pain level (none, mild, moderate, severe) were self-reported. A multinomial logistic regression model was applied to examine associations between walking duration and joint pain levels, controlling for age, gender education, income, and race/ethnicity.

Walking ≥ 151 min/week was associated with a 15%-28% reduction in the odds of experiencing moderate joint pain and a 23%-30% reduction in the odds of experiencing severe joint pain compared with walking < 150 min/week (all p < .05).

Although causality could not be inferred due to the cross-sectional design, moderate increases in weekly walking were significantly associated with lower levels of joint pain. Walking for 301-450 minutes per week (43-64 minutes per day) was linked to substantial pain reduction.

These findings support the role of cumulative daily walking as a therapeutic strategy for managing joint pain in older adults with arthritis. Barriers to walking should be addressed in clinical assessments and nursing interventions to enhance effectiveness.