What is a common cause of decreased mobility in older adults?

• A. Osteoarthritis
• B. Osteoporosis
• C. Gout
• D. Fibromyalgia

Answer: (A)

Osteoarthritis is the most common reason older adults develop decreased mobility because it’s a degenerative wear-and-tear of the joints that leads to chronic pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion in weight-bearing joints like the knees, hips, and spine. This combination makes movement feel painful and tedious, so people move less, lose strength, and become less able to perform daily activities. While osteoporosis can lead to fractures that limit mobility and gout or fibromyalgia can cause pain, osteoarthritis more consistently causes ongoing mobility impairment in the elderly.