Locomotive syndrome: disability-free life expectancy and locomotive organ health in a “super-aged” society

In 2007, people aged 65 years or older accounted for 22% of Japan’s entire population, and the nation is now facing the advent of a “super-aged” society earlier and more rapidly than any other country in the world. As a result, orthopedic surgeons will need to deal with an increasing number of diseases related directly to aging, such as joint disorders, spinal disorders, and fragility fractures. For example, artifi cial knee joint operations are now three times more common than they were 10 years ago. There has also been an increase in the number of patients requiring conservative orthopedic treatment. Considering that there are likely to be many elderly people with lower back pain or knee pain, there is concern that many of them may not receive proper medical care.