Vol.23 No.5

Original Article

The influence of locomotive syndrome on health-related quality of life in a community-living population

Authors

Kenichi Hirano¹ , Shiro Imagama¹ , Yukiharu Hasegawa¹ , Zenya Ito¹ , Akio Muramoto¹ , Naoki Ishiguro¹

Received:

19 July 2012

Accepted:

6 September 2012

Published online:

21 September 2012

Full Text

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Abstract

Objectives The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA)
has proposed the term ‘‘locomotive syndrome’’ (LS) to
designate a condition in individuals with musculoskeletal
disease in high-risk groups who are highly likely to require
nursing care. The present study investigated the influence
of LS on the quality of life (QOL) of a community-living
population.
Methods A total of 386 subjects C 50 years of age were
enrolled in the study. Those whose scores on the
25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale were
C16 were defined as having LS. Participants answered the
JOA Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) and
visual analogue scales (VAS) for low back pain, leg pain,
leg numbness, and left and right knee pain; the Roland
Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ); and the Short
Form 36 (SF-36). We compared the scores on the three
QOL measures between subjects diagnosed with and
without LS.
Results There were 62 people defined as having LS.
Subjects with LS scored significantly lower on the JOABPEQ
and SF-36 than those without LS. They also had
significantly higher scores on the five VASs and the RDQ
compared with those without LS.
Conclusions We found that LS strongly impacted QOL
and the scores from the VASs. LS appears to be a useful
concept for screening subjects who are experiencing a
lowered QOL due to musculoskeletal diseases, especially
degenerative lumbar diseases and knee osteoarthritis.

Key words

Locomotive syndrome, Lumbar spine, Musculoskeletal disease, Quality of life, Visual analogue scale