What are common causes of altered mobility in patients?

The choice identifying musculoskeletal injuries and cognitive impairments as common causes of altered mobility is substantiated by the understanding that mobility is greatly influenced by both physical and mental health factors.

Musculoskeletal injuries, such as fractures, sprains, or chronic conditions like arthritis, directly affect a person's ability to move. Pain, stiffness, and structural instability impede normal movement patterns, leading to a decrease in physical activity and altered mobility.

Cognitive impairments also play a pivotal role in mobility. Conditions such as dementia or stroke can impact a patient's awareness of their surroundings and ability to plan movements. This can lead to difficulty in initiating movement or unsafe mobility patterns, further contributing to altered mobility.

While aging-related conditions are indeed a factor, they represent only a subset of possible causes, as age itself does not encompass the variety of other factors that can impair mobility, such as injuries or cognitive challenges. Respiratory diseases and allergies typically affect breathing rather than directly impacting mobility, and visual impairments and hearing loss, while they can influence safety and awareness, are less direct in causing altered mobility compared to musculoskeletal or cognitive issues. Therefore, the first answer captures a broader spectrum of causes that are integral to understanding altered mobility in patients.