The ability to walk 1 kilometre comfortably can help predict the risk of fracture

Researchers from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research examined data on almost 267,000 adults aged 45 and older from the Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study, a major ongoing research initiative tracking health outcomes in adults in NSW for more than 15 years. Participants were followed for 5 years to track their fracture outcomes.

The study, published in JAMA network open found that one in five adults reported some walking limitations at the start of the study. Those participants with more difficulty walking were much more likely to experience a fracture during the follow up. Women participants who were limited ‘a lot’ in walking 1 kilometre had a 60% higher fracture risk than women participants with no limitations. For men, the increased risk was over 100%.

Approximately 60% of the fractures that occurred during the study period were attributable to some level of walking limitation. The link remained strong even after accounting for other factors including age, weight, falls and prior fractures. This was also consistent across different fracture sites like hips, legs, arms and vertebrae.