Neuromotor frailty phenotype and fall risk in geriatrics with knee osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional analysis of physical therapy performance and psychometric outcomes

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Source: Frontiers Medicine

Original: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2026.1772639...

Published: 2026-03-23T00:00:00Z

A cross-sectional study of 128 older adults with knee osteoarthritis (64 fallers and 64 non-fallers) compared neuromotor frailty profiles using physical therapy measures. Fallers had significantly lower scores in the Functional Gait Assessment (16.45 ± 4.16 vs. 20.71 ± 3.87, p < 0.001). TUG-DT (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.18–1.55), FSST (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05–1.39) and FES-I (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.03–1.19) were independently associated with falling. DuPT and Task Up (TUG-DT), Four Square Step Test (FSST), Falls Efficacy Scale – International (FES-I), Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and others were used. Exploratory factor analysis identified three factors: dynamic balance, functional mobility, and fear of falling. A multidimensional battery of measurements effectively differentiates fallers from non-fallers and characterizes the phenotype of neuromotor frailty. These measures provide clinically relevant indicators of fall risk as a multidimensional construct.