Gait function progress in a patient with a femoral neck fracture who underwent rehabilitation during prolonged surgical waiting time: a case study.
Takahiro Toriyama, Takahiro Miyashita, Keita Tomii and 2 others
PMID 40599843WHAT IT FOUND
A woman in her 80s with a hip fracture waited 27 days for surgery.
Using a soft lumbar orthosis to reduce pain, she walked with a walker before surgery and was discharged home on day 63.
Key findings
01A soft lumbar immobilization orthosis reduced pain during movement, allowing the patient to stand and transfer with monitoring.
02The patient walked 3 meters with a walker on day 14 and 25 meters on day 23, before surgery was performed on day 28.
03The patient was discharged to home on day 63, walking independently with a cane by day 52.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
This is a single case report, so the results cannot be generalized to other patients. The patient had good pre-injury physical and cognitive function and no medical complications, which may have contributed to her positive outcome. The effect of analgesics and the placebo effect on pain reduction cannot be separated from the effect of the orthosis. The high frequency of rehabilitation was possible due to well-staffed services and physician agreement, which may not be available in all settings.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a soft lumbar orthosis will enable preoperative walking in all hip fracture patients. This outcome depended on the patient's high baseline function, specific pain response, and intensive rehabilitation resources, and it is not supported by controlled trials.