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Researchers at University of Tsukuba have conducted a long-term follow-up study on older Japanese adults, revealing that individuals with diminished hand function (defined as the fine motor ability of the hands and fingers) face a higher risk of requiring long-term care than those with better hand function. Notably, this study identified for the first time a curvilinear dose-response relationship between hand function and the risk of requiring long-term care. These findings indicate that hand function, along with the previously recognized lower limb function, plays a crucial role in extending healthy life expectancy.

Tsukuba, Japan—In elderly people, a decline in lower limb function—essential for walking and standing—substantially contributes to the demand for nursing care. The research team has previously reported an association between lower limb function and long-term care needs. However, hand function is also vital for performing everyday tasks such as cooking, eating, dressing, and brushing teeth. As hand function declines, individuals may face increasing difficulty in managing such daily activities, potentially leading to the need for nursing care. Despite this, no prior studies have thoroughly examined the extent to which declining hand function correlates with the risk of requiring long-term care.

To address the aforementioned gap, the research team conducted a follow-up study on approximately 1,000 older Japanese adults who participated in physical fitness assessments in Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Spanning up to 14 years, the study aimed to evaluate the relationship between hand function and the risk of requiring long-term care. The results showed that participants with lower hand function faced a significantly higher risk of requiring nursing care than those with higher hand function. Notably, this study was the first in the world to identify a curvilinear dose-response relationship between hand function and the need for nursing care. In particular, hand function below a certain threshold (e.g., fewer than 21 circles completed in 15 s) was associated with an increased risk, while higher levels of hand function did not show a statistically significant reduction in risk.

This study highlights that not only the previously emphasized lower limb function but also hand function, which is essential for fine motor tasks in daily life, is crucial for extending healthy life expectancy.

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This study was supported by grants from Japan Science and Technology Agency (JPMJPF2017) and the Japan Sport Association.

Original Paper

Title of original paper:

Dose-response Association between Hand Dexterity and Functional Disability: A Longitudinal Study from the Kasama Study

Journal:

Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research

DOI:

10.4235/agmr.25.0075

Correspondence

Professor OKURA Tomohiro
Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba

Related Link

Institute of Health and Sport Sciences