Likelihood of Impact of Knee Joint Pain on ADLS among Older Adult Population

Abstract

Background: Evidence reported that the beginning of knee discomfort and restrictions in physical function in older persons are closely related and impact their well-being. Therefore, this study intended to determine the association between knee discomfort and functional restrictions among olderadults. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among community-dwelling older adults with knee pain using a questionnaire that included daily living activities such as getting up from a sitting posture, climbing stairs, and walking. The responses were analyzed to determine the likelihood of knee pain impact on these tasks. Results: The findings revealed a significant likelihood (p<0.05) between pain intensity and difficulty performing daily living tasks. The data analysis provided evidence that (n=74) participants with mild to severe pain in the knee joints had reported mild difficulty in standing from a sitting position, whereas (n=90) had difficulty in walking and (n=77) had difficulty in climbing stairs. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed a significant association (p<0.001) between participant’s capacity to perform daily living activities with mild to moderate knee pain. Thus, it becomes evident that patients with knee pain discomfort, either mild or moderate, will have to face significant difficulties in performing tasks like sitting, walking or ascending stairs. Keywords: Activities of Daily Living, Pain, Sitting, Stair Climbing, Walking.