In older adults with symptomatic knee OA, Walk + appears to increase walking, with improvements in muscle strength and walking performance. The use of a home-based pedometer-driven program to increase physical activity, strength, and function in this population warrants further research.

Step activity monitoring data were useful for detecting differences in ambulatory activity according to age and functional limitation. Monitor-based measures reflecting patterns of ambulatory activity show promise for use in studies of physical functioning.

Objective. Low back pain (LBP) is the most frequently reported musculoskeletal problem in older adults, but its impact on health status is not well understood. Our objective was to determine whether LBP and concurrent leg pain are associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and function in a cohort of older adults, and to examine care-seeking behaviors related to LBP.

Muscular strength is essential for recovery after an acute illness. Disuse atrophy of muscle begins within 4 hours of the start of bed rest resulting in decreases in muscle mass, muscle cell diameter, and the number of muscle fibers. Strenuous exercise of atrophic muscle can lead to muscle damage including sarcolemmal disruption, distortion of the myofibrils' contractile components, and cytoskeletal damage. Assessment of skeletal muscle for disuse atrophy is done clinically at the bedside through strength assessment. Examination of the muscle itself can be conducted through the use of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, whereas muscle strength can be quantified with a computerized dynamometer. Biochemical markers, including creatine kinase and troponin, also are available for the assessment of skeletal muscle damage. Activity management in the critical care environment focuses on an individualized plan, developed in cooperation with the recovering patient, with the goal of preserving and improving atrophic skeletal muscle.

With the increasing number of older adult online users, the Internet and e-mail are becoming a new source of social support for older adults. To assess this computer-mediated social support, two traditional social support measures were modified: (1) the Lubben Social Network Scale and (2) the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. The purpose of this pilot study was to test the reliability and validity of these modified measures. This study was a single group descriptive study with two data collection points. Data were collected using Web surveys. A total of 38 older adult participants completed the first survey; 35, the second survey. The findings of this preliminary study provided evidence for the reliability, content validity, and, to a limited extent, construct validity, of the modified measures. Additional studies with a larger representative sample are needed to further examine the psychometric aspects of these measures.