Social activity 'prevents physical disability in older people'

Older people are less likely to experience physical disability if they enjoy high levels of social activity, one expert has said.

Research carried out at Rush University Medical Center found that high levels of social activity are associated with a decreased chance of physical disability.

Lead researcher Dr Bryan James said that social activity has long been known to be associated with ageing healthily but the recent findings have now related it to better everyday functioning and less disability in old age.

"The findings are exciting because social activity is potentially a risk factor that can be modified to help older adults avoid the burdens of disability."

Meanwhile, one expert has said that joint replacement surgery is more likely to fail in obese people than those of a healthy weight.

Professor Alan Silman, medical director of Arthritis Research UK, said that half of people who are obese do not recover as well following the surgery, with joint replacements ten times more likely to fail after seven years in overweight individuals.

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