Multimorbidity, Muscle Strength, and Falls among Older Mexican Americans.

Only people without falls at baseline were analyzed (691 were excluded because they reported falls at baseline), so it does not show what happens in people already falling. Multimorbidity and falls were self-reported, so recall bias is possible. Disease duration, severity, treatment, fall severity, consequences, inflammatory markers, environmental factors, and physical activity were not collected or not collected at all interviews. Excluded participants were more likely to be older, have lower education, multimorbidity, depressive symptoms, ADL limitations, and lower MMSE, SPPB, and grip strength, so the analyzed sample may not represent the whole cohort. Findings are generalizable only to older Mexican Americans living in the Southwestern United States. The study is observational, so it cannot show that higher grip strength or fewer conditions caused fewer falls.

The authors declared no competing or relevant interests. The article lists research support from N.I.H., Extramural.

Do not conclude that grip-strengthening exercise will reduce falls. The study observed associations in older Mexican Americans, did not test an exercise program, and used self-reported falls and multimorbidity.