van Schoor NM, Dennison E, Castell MV, et al. - Researchers intended to validate the prospective relationship between clinical osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip and knee and falls, to analyze the modifying effect of gender and to explore if low physical performance, low physical activity and use of pain medication are mediating these relationships. Researchers included a total of 2535 individuals (aged 65-85) using baseline and 1-year follow-up data from the European project on osteoarthritis involving pre-harmonized data from five European population-based cohort studies. According to American college of rheumatology criteria, clinical OA was defined. Falls were evaluated applying self-report. It was reported that patients with clinical knee OA were at increased risk for recurrent falls. This association was mediated by pain medication, especially opioids. When discussing the risk benefit ratio of prescribing these medications, the fall risk needs to be recognized.