Musculoskeletal Pain, Physical Activity, Muscle Mass, and Mortality in Older Adults: Results from the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging (KLoSHA).

Background and objectives: Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain significantly impacts physical activity and quality of life in older adults, potentially influencing mortality. This study explored the relationship between MSK pain, physical activity, muscle mass, and mortality among older adults. Material and Methods: We studied 1000 participants in the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging (KLoSHA), a prospective, population-based cohort study of people aged 65 years or older. Survival status was tracked over a 5-year period. Correlations between low back pain (LBP), knee pain, regular exercise, appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), and other variables were analyzed. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors for mortality. Results: Of the total participants, 829 (82.9%) survived over a 5-year period. Survivors tended to be younger, had a higher BMI, and were more active in regular exercise. In contrast, non-survivors exhibited a higher prevalence of both LBP and knee pain, along with increased instances of multiple MSK pains. Lower ASM correlated moderately with LBP and knee pain, whereas higher ASM was associated with regular exercise. There was a moderate correlation between LBP and knee pain, both of which were associated with a lack of regular exercise. Age, sex, ASM, and regular exercise were significant predictors, even though MSK pain itself did not directly predict all-cause mortality. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the independent association between ASM, regular exercise, and mortality. Although MSK pain did not directly correlate with all-cause mortality, the non-survivor group had higher levels of both single and multiple MSK pains. Recognizing the interplay of MSK pain, physical activity, and muscle mass for older adults, the research underscores the need for holistic strategies to enhance health outcomes in older individuals with MSK pain.

The utility of electrodiagnostic inching study and conservative treatment in supracondylar process syndrome: A case report.

RATIONALE: Supracondylar process is a rare bony anomaly that can cause neurovascular symptoms. Previous reports on supracondylar process syndrome mostly suspect the condition by physical examination and simple radiograph with little assistance of electrodiagnostic methods and report efficiency of surgical treatment. PATIENTS CONCERNS: A 45-year-old woman working at an assembly line packing boxes presented with tingling pain at her middle and ring fingers that started 2 months ago. She had positive Tinel sign at the medial side of the distal arm. DIAGNOSIS: Electrodiagnostic inching study on median nerve was conducted and the conduction velocity at the segment between 3 cm to 5 cm proximal to the elbow crease was decreased to 27m/s. Following imaging studies revealed supracondylar process at 4.2 cm proximal to the medial epicondyle. She was successfully treated with conservative treatment. INTERVENTIONS: Oral medications including Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and pregabalin were prescribed along with superficial and deep heat modalities. The extent of manual labor was modified. Additionally, self-massage and stretching/nerve-gliding exercises were delivered. OUTCOMES: The symptoms substantially improved and she could sleep without trouble, however, complete resolution was not achieved. After a year, she was nearly symptom-free after changing occupations with only occasional tingling after manual labor of unusual intensity. LESSONS: This case report enlightens the versatility of electrodiagnostic inching study in localizing median neuropathy at the distal arm and the effectiveness of conservative treatment in supracondylar process syndrome.