Frailty syndrome in older adults and relationships with mobility balance and functional Independence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62827/fb.v27i9.1340Keywords:
Accidental Falls; Activities of Daily Living; Muscle Strength.Abstract
Frailty syndrome is associated with changes in mobility, balance, and functional independence in older adults. This integrative review analyzed evidence on these relationships. Searches were conducted on October 1, 2026, in PubMed/MEDLINE, SciELO, and the Virtual Health Library. Two reviewers independently selected studies and extracted data; disagreements were resolved by consensus, with a third reviewer when necessary. Critical appraisal used Joanna Briggs Institute tools appropriate to each study design. Of 80 identified records, 30 were duplicates, and 12 studies were included after screening and assessment of 30 full-text publications. Observational studies predominated, alongside two systematic reviews with meta-analysis. Greater frailty was associated with poorer strength, balance, postural stability, and sit-to-stand performance. Prospective studies found associations with future falls, although frailty measures and contrasts differed. The cohort meta-analysis estimated a pooled relative risk of 1.48, with a 95% confidence interval from 1.27 to 1.73 and high heterogeneity. Prefrailty, frailty, and reduced gait speed were associated with incident disability in basic and instrumental activities. These findings support relationships between greater frailty and functional impairment, but heterogeneity and methodological limitations restrict causal inference and comparisons of effect magnitudes. Overlap between classification components and physical measures also requires caution.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Eduardo André de Leopoldino da Silva Filho, Thainara dos Santos Rocha, Anna Elisa Seda Tenório de Brito , Júlia Lopes Ferreira, Filipe Alves Costa Barbosa (Autor)
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