Self-reported physician-diagnosed knee osteoarthritis and its association with falls in older Jordanian adults: a cross-sectional study

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common musculoskeletal condition among older adults and has been associated with falls and fear of falling (FOF). However, evidence on these associations among older adults in Jordan remains limited. This cross-sectional study examined the associations of KOA and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score(KOOS)-based symptom burden with falls and FOF among 409 community-dwelling older adults in Jordan. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics, Body mass index (BMI), psychological status, fall history, and FOF. Participants with KOA had significantly higher odds of reporting falls and clinically significant fear of falling than those without KOA. In the fully adjusted model, KOA was associated with higher odds of falls (odds ratio (OR) = 19.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 10.47–37.42) and clinically significant fear of falling (OR = 5.09, 95% CI 3.03–8.57). Higher KOOS-based symptom burden was associated with greater odds of falls, whereas symptom burden was not independently associated with clinically significant fear of falling after adjustment for psychological factors. KOA was associated with falls and clinically significant fear of falling among older adults in Jordan. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the temporal relationships among knee osteoarthritis, falls, and fear of falling. In addition, intervention studies are needed to inform the development and evaluation of tailored fall-prevention strategies in this population.