Evaluation of balance, mobility, daily living activities and fear of fall in elderly individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain

Chronic musculoskeletal pain is a common problem affecting at least a quarter of the elderly population. Pain is the most common symptom in the elderly. With advancing age, chronic diseases occur, decrease in physical abilities, balance, and regression in activities during daily life are observed. The aim of this study is to evaluate balance, mobility, activities of daily lives, and fear of movement in elderly individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Male and female patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain who applied to Başkent University Hospital Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Polyclinic and were diagnosed by a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist and volunteered to participate in the study were included in the study. According to the painful areas in the musculoskeletal system; neck, shoulder, elbow/wrist, waist, hip, knee, or ankle were randomly grouped with the help of a computer program (Online Random Allocation Software). According to the power analysis a total of 252 patients, including at least 36 patients in each group, were included in the study. The study data were analyzed using the SPSS 24.0 program. Obtained data were first defined with mean standard deviation scores. In the comparison made according to different pain regions, balance between groups, mobility, daily activities, and fear of movement were calculated by One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and independent sample t-test, due to the provision of parametric assumptions. Cognitive function levels of the individuals included in the study were determined by the Mini Mental State Test, the risk of falling by Berg BalanceTest, De Morton Mobility Index (DEMMI), and Timed Up and Go Test; activities during daily lives were quantified based on the Lawton & Brody Daily Living Activity scale; and pain level was evaluated with the short form McGill questionnaire and fear of movement with the Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale. In the study, it was concluded that the daily life activities of the elderly have similar characteristics according to gender, and they can perform these activities in a dependent or semi-dependent manner (p>0.05). In terms of pain intensity, pain localized to ankle, waist, knee, and hip was found to be more severe than upper extremity pain (p≤0.05). It was determined that the balance levels of the elderly individuals decreased depending on the high BMI in terms of balance levels (p≤0.05). The Tampa Kinesiophobia scale scores of the elderly who had a previous fall were found to be lower than those who had a fall (p≤0.05). It was concluded that the elderly individuals who did not experience fall in terms of fear of movement were lower than those who had a history of fall (p≤0.05). 05). When the relations between the scores of the elderly individuals from the applied tests were examined, it was found that as the pain level increased, the levels of ZKY and fear of movement increased; On the other hand, it was observed that mobility, balance and daily life activity values decreased (Respectively: r= 0.37, r= 0.47, r= -0.43, r= -0.35, r= -0.13; p ≤0.05). In addition, as the fear of movement increased, the pain levels of the elderly individuals increased .Keywords: Musculoskeletal System, Activity of Daily Living, Elderly Individuals, Mobility, Balance, Fear of Movement