Osaka Metropolitan University: pain-limited outings tied to higher IADL limitation in 28,118 older adults

A research team at Osaka Metropolitan University found that older adults who go out less because of low back or leg pain have higher odds of limitation in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). The work was published in Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Plus and reported by EurekAlert on 8 November 2026 eurekalert.orgEurekAlerteurekalert.orgOpen source ↗.

The authors examined the association between pain-related restriction of going out and IADL limitation among community-dwelling older adults in Japan. The study was cross-sectional, so it captures a single time point rather than following people over time.

Data and methods

The team analyzed data from the Public Survey of Long-Term Care Prevention and Needs in Spheres of Daily Life, conducted in 2018–2020. The analysis included 28,118 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older who had no certified care needs.

Pain was assessed by self-report, as low back or leg pain-related restriction of going out. IADL limitation was evaluated with the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence. It covers activities such as shopping and paying bills by oneself eurekalert.orgEurekAlerteurekalert.orgOpen source ↗.

Results and limits

Participants who reported low back or leg pain-related restriction of going out had higher odds of IADL limitation than those who reported no such restriction. Subgroup analyses showed the association in both men and women, and in both the 65–74 and the 75-and-older age groups.

The authors suggest that pain-related restriction of going out may be an important marker of IADL limitation. They note that the cross-sectional design does not establish the order of events, and that future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the temporal relationship between the restriction of going out and IADL limitation.

The release names Shigekazu Ukawa of Osaka Metropolitan University as the expert contact. The study is registered under DOI 10.1016/j.aggp.2026.100332 eurekalert.orgEurekAlerteurekalert.orgOpen source ↗.