Impaired weight transfer persists at least four months after hip fracture and rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether choice stepping reaction time performance is impaired in people after hip fracture and whether different aspects of choice stepping performance improve with rehabilitation.


METHODS
This study includes a secondary analysis of data obtained from participants in a randomized controlled trial of exercise after hip fracture.


METHODS
Data were either collected in a hospital rehabilitation unit, research institute or participant homes.


METHODS
The hip fracture group (n = 91) were recruited from three rehabilitation hospitals in metropolitan Sydney. The control group (n = 77) were healthy age-, gender- and dwelling-matched controls, participating in unrelated studies of fall risk factors.


METHODS
Response time, movement time and total time components of the choice stepping reaction time test.


RESULTS
Improvements in choice stepping reaction time were seen in people after hip fracture, during a 16-week rehabilitation period, however performance remained impaired (1808 +/- 663 ms), compared with matched controls (1029 +/- 255 ms, P<0.001). Further, choice stepping performance was significantly slower when transferring weight onto the affected leg (1271 +/- 615 ms), compared with the unaffected leg (1119 +/- 499 ms, P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Movement deficits are evident for an extended time frame following rehabilitation for hip fracture. The slower response time following the rehabilitation period highlights ongoing difficulties with weight transfer onto the affected leg.
Nightingale
Elizabeth Jean
EJ
Discipline of Physiotherapy, University of Sydney, Australia.
Sturnieks
Daina
D
Sherrington
Catherine
C
Moseley
Anne M
AM
Cameron
Ian D
ID
Lord
Stephen R
SR
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004434:Early Ambulation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011930:Reaction Time; D055070:Resistance Training; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking