Objective: To investigate an impact of emotional instabilities on locomotive functions in elderly people with locomotive disorders.
Methods: Participants aged ≥65 years (n= 314) were recruited from 5 orthopedic clinics and affiliated nursing care facilities. We investigated 40 items, such as diagnoses related to the locomotive organs, comorbidities, living environment and the 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25). We also asked the participants whether they feel bothersome to do daily tasks, depressed and useless person. Relationship between the presence of negative mood and GLFS-25 score were investigated statistically using SPSS statistics 20.
Results: A total of 219 participants felt bothersome to do daily task, 175 participants felt depressed and 113 participants felt useless person. GLFS-25 score in participants with emotional instability were higher than those without negative emotional changes regardless of gender and age groups.
Conclusion: Negative emotions were suggested to affect deterioration of locomotive functions in elderly people with locomotive disorders.