title: The national clinical audit of falls and bone health-secondary prevention of falls and fractures: a physiotherapy perspective.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish current physiotherapy practice in the secondary management of falls and fragility fractures compared with national guidance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Web-based national clinical audit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute trusts (n=157) and primary care trusts (n=146) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were collected on 5642 patients with non-hip fragility fractures and 3184 patients with a hip fracture. Those patients who were bedbound or who declined assessment or rehabilitation were excluded from the analysis. Results indicate that of those with non-hip fractures, 28% received a gait and balance assessment, 22% participated in an exercise programme, and 3% were shown how to get up from the floor. For those with a hip fracture, the results were 68%, 44% and 7%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physiotherapists have a significant role to play in the secondary prevention of falls and fractures. However, along with managers and professional bodies, more must be done to ensure that clinical practice reflects the evidence base and professional standards.
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Research Group, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK. victoria.goodwin@pms.ac.uk
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Goodwin
authors.forename: Finbarr C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Husk
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Potter
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001842:Bone and Bones; D054869:Clinical Audit; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005684:Gait; D006304:Health Status; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty; D004856:Postural Balance; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D055070:Resistance Training; D055502:Secondary Prevention