Coping behaviors for skeletal muscle injuries and disorders among community-dwelling elderly persons in Japan.
Yosuke Shibata, Mieko Nakamura, Hideko Nakamura and 2 others
PMID 31417217WHAT IT FOUND
Older Japanese adults reported using hospitals most often for fractures, sprains, and musculoskeletal pain, then Judo therapist offices.
Many reported no facility for stiff shoulders or daily fatigue. Ask what care they seek.
Key findings
01Hospitals or general clinics were the most common facility for bone fracture, dislocation, sprain, bruising, low back pain, acute muscle/joint pain, and chronic muscle/joint pain.
02Judo therapist offices were the second most common facility for bone fracture, dislocation, sprain, bruising, stiff shoulders, low back pain, and acute muscle/joint pain.
03Many participants reported no facility use for stiff shoulders and daily fatigue.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The information was self-reported, and the authors state its validity might be low. The study did not determine whether participants actually visited the medical practitioners they reported. Family members completed the questionnaire for people who needed assistance. The sample was limited to community-dwelling people aged 70 years or older in one suburban city in Japan, so it does not represent all older adults. The study excluded people receiving long-term care and did not include people aged 65 to 69 years.
Declared interests
The study was supported by a grant from Fujinokuni-consortium, grant number 40. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these coping patterns as evidence that any treatment works. The study reported care-seeking choices, not what happened after treatment.