The relationship between muscle strength, balance and falls in elderly postmenopausal osteoporosis patients

Osteoporosis (OP) poses a great risk for falls by causing both a decrease in muscle strength and a loss of balance ability by weakening postural control. In this study, it was aimed to determine the relationship between osteoporosis and falling in a group of older patients and to determine possible predictors that may affect it.

A total of 106 women aged 65 years and over were included in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometric measurement results, clinical and laboratory data of the participants were obtained from medical files. In addition to comprehensive geriatric assessment tests, Tinetti Balance and Gait Assessment Tool (TBGA) and hand grip strength (HGS) scores and the number of falls in the last year were obtained from the file records of the patients.

A total of 106 (71.2 ± 6.4) older female outpatients, 43 (72.6 ± 7.0) OP, participated in the study. HGS and TBGA scores were lower and the frequency of sarcopenia and probable sarcopenia was higher in the OP group (p = 0.007, p = 0.002, and p = 0.015; respectively). Femoral neck T score was positively correlated with the HGS and lumbar spine T score and negatively correlated with age (r = 0.369, p < 0.001; r = 0.556, p < 0.001; r = -0.329, p < 0.001; respectively). In addition there was a positive correlation between HGS and TBGA (r = 0.273, p = 0.005).

Older women with osteoporosis demonstrated poorer muscle strength and balance performance and experienced falls more frequently than non-osteoporotic controls. Although several clinical parameters were associated with falls, only age and body mass index remained independently related to fall risk. These findings suggest that simple clinical measures such as handgrip strength and balance assessment may be useful for identifying fall-prone older women with osteoporosis.