Improved performance in activities of daily living and mobility after a multidisciplinary postoperative rehabilitation in older people with femoral neck fracture: a randomized controlled trial with 1-year follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the short- and long-term effects of a multidisciplinary postoperative rehabilitation programme in patients with femoral neck fracture.


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial in patients (n = 199) with femoral neck fracture, aged >or= 70 years.


METHODS
The primary outcomes were: living conditions, walking ability and activities of daily living performance on discharge, 4 and 12 months postoperatively. The intervention consisted of staff education, individualized care planning and rehabilitation, active prevention, detection and treatment of postoperative complications. The staff worked in teams to apply comprehensive geriatric assessment, management and rehabilitation. A geriatric team assessed those in the intervention group 4 months postoperatively, in order to detect and treat any complications. The control group followed conventional postoperative routines.


RESULTS
Despite shorter hospitalization, significantly more people from the intervention group had regained independence in personal activities of daily living performance at the 4- and 12-month follow-ups; odds ratios (95% confidence interval (CI) ) 2.51 (1.00-6.30) and 3.49 (1.31-9.23), respectively. More patients in the intervention group had also regained the ability to walk independently indoors without walking aids by the end of the study period, odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 3.01 (1.18-7.61).


CONCLUSIONS
A multidisciplinary postoperative intervention programme enhances activities of daily living performance and mobility after hip fracture, from both a short-term and long-term perspective.
Stenvall
Michael
M
Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Geriatric Medicine, Umeå University, Sweden. michael.stenvall@germed.umu.se
Olofsson
Birgitta
B
Nyberg
Lars
L
Lundström
Maria
M
Gustafson
Yngve
Y
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology