A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows that a 12-month home-based supervised exercise programme can help to improve physical performance and functioning after patients undergo hip fracture surgery.
Hip fracture is a major health problem among older people, often resulting in long-term, sometimes persistent, functional impairments such as poor mobility and reduced independence in daily activities. Sedentary behaviour and low level of physical activity are also common among patients recovering from surgical repair of a hip fracture.
Standard care post-discharge care does not seem to meet the requirements of effective rehabilitation, as many patients with hip fractures do not reach their pre-fracture level of functioning. Growing evidence shows that multidisciplinary and well-coordinated rehabilitation started at the hospital and continued after discharge enhances the recovery of patients with hip fractures. Multicomponent rehabilitation in particular, which includes individualised and progressive resistance training, has improved functioning and mobility and decreased dependency in everyday activities. Longer lasting exercise programs of 6 to 12 months duration have reduced or reversed incident disability after hip fractures.
For the study, 121 patients aged 60 years and older were randomised to either an exercise group or a usual care group as a control. Home-based exercise sessions were delivered by physiotherapists twice a week and included strength, balance, mobility, and functional components as well as brief counselling on physical activity and nutrition.
Compared with patients in the usual care group, patients in the exercise group saw more improvements over the course of a year in their physical performance, their handgrip strength, and their ability to complete certain activities of daily living.
“It is worthwhile to invest in rehabilitation exercise for older people after hip fracture. Better functioning benefits the individual and also society,” said lead author Paula K. Soukkio, MSc, of the South Karelia Social and Health Care District (Eksote), in Finland.
Source: Wiley
