TY - JOUR
T1 - Relationship between physical activity and stiff or painful joints in mid-aged women and older women: A 3-year prospective study
AU - Heesch, Kristiann C.
AU - Miller, Yvette D.
AU - Brown, Wendy J.
PY - 2007/3/29
Y1 - 2007/3/29
N2 - This prospective study examined the association between physical activity and the incidence of self-reported stiff or painful joints (SPJ) among mid-age women and older women over a 3-year period. Data were collected from cohorts of mid-age (48-55 years at Time 1; n = 4,780) and older women (72-79 years at Time 1; n = 3,970) who completed mailed surveys 3 years apart for the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Physical activity was measured with the Active Australia questions and categorized based on metabolic equivalent value minutes per week: none (<40 MET.min/week); very low (40 to <300 MET.min/week); low (300 to <600 MET.min/week); moderate (600 to <1,200 MET.min/week); and high (1,200+ MET.min/week). Cohort-specific logistic regression models were used to examine the association between physical activity at Time 1 and SPJ 'sometimes or often' and separately 'often' at Time 2. Respondents reporting SPJ 'sometimes or often' at Time 1 were excluded from analysis. In univariate models, the odds of reporting SPJ 'sometimes or often' were lower for mid-age respondents reporting low (odds ratio (OR) = 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.63-0.94), moderate (OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.68-0.99), and high (OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.62-0.90) physical activity levels and for older respondents who were moderately (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.65-0.98) or highly active (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.69-0.99) than for those who were sedentary. After adjustment for confounders, these associations were no longer statistically significant. The odds of reporting SPJ 'often' were lower for mid-age respondents who were moderately active (OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.52-0.97) than for sedentary respondents in univariate but not adjusted models. Older women in the low (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.55-0.96), moderate (OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.39-0.76), and high (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.46-0.82) physical activity categories had lower odds of reporting SPJ 'often' at Time 2 than their sedentary counterparts, even after adjustment for confounders. These results are the first to show a dose-response relationship between physical activity and arthritis symptoms in older women. They suggest that advice for older women not currently experiencing SPJ should routinely include counseling on the importance of physical activity for preventing the onset of these symptoms.
AB - This prospective study examined the association between physical activity and the incidence of self-reported stiff or painful joints (SPJ) among mid-age women and older women over a 3-year period. Data were collected from cohorts of mid-age (48-55 years at Time 1; n = 4,780) and older women (72-79 years at Time 1; n = 3,970) who completed mailed surveys 3 years apart for the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Physical activity was measured with the Active Australia questions and categorized based on metabolic equivalent value minutes per week: none (<40 MET.min/week); very low (40 to <300 MET.min/week); low (300 to <600 MET.min/week); moderate (600 to <1,200 MET.min/week); and high (1,200+ MET.min/week). Cohort-specific logistic regression models were used to examine the association between physical activity at Time 1 and SPJ 'sometimes or often' and separately 'often' at Time 2. Respondents reporting SPJ 'sometimes or often' at Time 1 were excluded from analysis. In univariate models, the odds of reporting SPJ 'sometimes or often' were lower for mid-age respondents reporting low (odds ratio (OR) = 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.63-0.94), moderate (OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.68-0.99), and high (OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.62-0.90) physical activity levels and for older respondents who were moderately (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.65-0.98) or highly active (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.69-0.99) than for those who were sedentary. After adjustment for confounders, these associations were no longer statistically significant. The odds of reporting SPJ 'often' were lower for mid-age respondents who were moderately active (OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.52-0.97) than for sedentary respondents in univariate but not adjusted models. Older women in the low (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.55-0.96), moderate (OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.39-0.76), and high (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.46-0.82) physical activity categories had lower odds of reporting SPJ 'often' at Time 2 than their sedentary counterparts, even after adjustment for confounders. These results are the first to show a dose-response relationship between physical activity and arthritis symptoms in older women. They suggest that advice for older women not currently experiencing SPJ should routinely include counseling on the importance of physical activity for preventing the onset of these symptoms.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34047201040&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/ar2154
DO - 10.1186/ar2154
M3 - Article
C2 - 17394630
AN - SCOPUS:34047201040
SN - 1478-6354
VL - 9
JO - Arthritis Research and Therapy
JF - Arthritis Research and Therapy
M1 - R34
ER -