Inactivity during hospitalization in older medical patients may lead to functional decline. This study quantified 24-hour mobility, validated the accelerometers used, and assessed the daily level of basic mobility in acutely admitted older medical patients during their hospitalization. This is a prospective cohort study in older medical patients able to walk independently (ambulatory patients) and those not able to walk independently (nonambulatory patients) on admission. The 24-hour mobility level during hospitalization was assessed by measuring the time in lying, sitting, and standing and/or walking, by two accelerometers. Basic mobility was quantified within 48 hours of admission and repeated daily throughout hospitalization. Forty-three ambulatory patients and six nonambulatory patients were included. The ambulatory patients tended to be hospitalized for fewer days than the nonambulatory patients (7 vs 16, p = .13). The ambulatory patients were lying median 17 hours, (interquartile range [IQR]: 14.4–19.1), sitting 5.1 hours (IQR: 2.9–7.1), and standing and/or walking 1.1 hours (IQR: 0.6–1.7) per day. On days with independency in basic mobility, the ambulatory patients were lying 4.1 hours less compared with days with dependency in basic mobility (p < .0001), sitting 2.4 hours more (p = .0004), and standing 0.9 hours more (p < .0001). The algorithm identification for lying, sitting, and standing and/or walking of the accelerometers, corresponded by 89%–100% with positions performed by older medical patients. Older acutely hospitalized medical patients with walking ability spent 17h/d of their in-hospital time in bed, and the level of in-hospital mobility seemed to depend on the patients’ level of basic mobility. The accelerometers were valid in assessing mobility in older medical patients.

Although leisure-time physical activity is important for health, adherence to regular exercise is challenging for many adults. The workplace may provide an optimal setting to reach a large proportion of the adult population needing regular physical exercise. This study evaluates the effect of implementing strength training at the workplace on non-specific neck and shoulder pain among industrial workers.

The choice of measure for use as a primary outcome in geriatric research is contingent upon the construct of interest and evidence for its psychometric properties. The Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI) has been widely used to assess functional limitations and disability in studies with older adults. The primary aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the current available evidence for the psychometric properties of the LLFDI.

Acute hospitalization of older patients may be associated with loss of muscle strength and functional performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acute hospitalization as a result of medical disease on muscle strength and functional performance in older medical patients. Isometric knee-extension strength; handgrip strength; and functional performance, that is, the Timed Up and Go test, were assessed at admission, at discharge, and 30 days after discharge. Twenty-four-hour mobility was measured during hospitalization. The mean (SD) age was 82.7 (8.2) years, and the median length of stay was 7.5 days (interquartile range, 4.25-11). Knee-extension strength did not change over time (1.0 [N·m]/kg, 1.1 [N·m]/kg, and 1.1 [N·m]/kg, P = 0.138), as did handgrip strength (24.2 kg, 23.3 kg, and 23.5 kg, P = 0.265). The Timed Up and Go test improved during hospitalization, from 17.3 secs at admission to 13.3 secs at discharge (P = 0.003), but with no improvement at the 30-day follow-up (12.4 secs, P = 0.064). The median times spent in lying, sitting, and standing/walking were 17.4 hrs per day, 4.8 hrs per day, and 0.8 hrs per day, respectively. Muscle strength did not change during hospitalization and 30 days after discharge in the acutely admitted older medical patients. Despite a low level of mobility during hospitalization, functional performance improved significantly during hospitalization, without further improvement.

The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mobility limitations is high among older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MCI status and both performance-based and self-report measures of mobility in community-dwelling older adults. An analysis was conducted on baseline data from the Boston Rehabilitative Impairment Study in the Elderly study, a cohort study of 430 primary care patients aged 65 or older. Neuropsychological tests identified participants with MCI and further subclassified those with impairment in memory domains (aMCI), nonmemory domains (naMCI), and multiple domains (mdMCI). Linear regression models were used to assess the association between MCI status and mobility performance in the Habitual Gait Speed, Figure of 8 Walk, Short Physical Performance Battery, and self-reported Late Life Function and Disability Instrument’s Basic Lower Extremity and Advanced Lower Extremity function scales. Participants had a mean age of 76.6 years, and 42% were characterized with MCI. Participants with MCI performed significantly worse than participants without MCI (No-MCI) on all performance and self-report measures (p < .01). All MCI subtypes performed significantly worse than No-MCI on all mobility measures (p < .05) except for aMCI versus No-MCI on the Figure of 8 Walk (p = .054) and Basic Lower Extremity (p = .11). Moreover, compared with aMCI, mdMCI manifested worse performance on the Figure of 8 Walk and Short Physical Performance Battery, and naMCI manifested worse performance on Short Physical Performance Battery and Basic Lower Extremity. Among older community-dwelling primary care patients, performance on a broad range of mobility measures was worse among those with MCI, appearing poorest among those with nonmemory MCI.

To evaluate interventions to promote physical activity, valid outcome measures are important. This study evaluated the validity and reliability of the ActivPAL3™ and the SENS motion® activity monitors with regard to the number of steps taken, walking, and sedentary behavior in hospitalized patients ( ) (older medical patients (+65 years) ( ), older patients (+65) with acute hip fracture ( ), and patients (+18) who underwent acute high-risk abdominal surgery ( )) . Both monitors showed good (≥60%) percentage agreement with direct observation for standing and no. of steps (all gait speeds) and high agreement (≥80%) for lying. For walking, ActivPAL3™ showed moderate percentage agreement, whereas SENS motion® reached high percentage agreement. The relative reliability was moderate for sedentary behavior for both monitors. The ActivPAL3™ showed poor (walking) to moderate (steps) reliability for walking and steps, whereas SENS motion® showed moderate reliability for both activities. For slow walkers, the relative reliability was moderate for SENS motion® and poor for ActivPAL3™. This trial is registered with the ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04120740.