Socks offer insight into mental health

PEOPLE who experience knee pain, for example when putting on socks or getting in and out of a car, are more at risk of depression, a new study has found.

A team from Japan monitored 573 people aged 65 and over for two years. While none had depression at the start of the study, by the end, those who experienced knee pain — commonly caused by osteoarthritis — were more likely to be depressed.

The researchers, writing in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, suggest that asking older people whether their knees hurt as they carry out tasks could help screen those at risk of depression. They believe it is the combination of pain and difficulty doing dayto-day tasks that can lead to a low mood.