The physical impact of long bone fractures on adults in KwaZulu-Natal.
Sevani Singaram, Mergan Naidoo
PMID 32935065WHAT IT FOUND
Adults with lower limb fractures reported greater difficulty walking and running than those with upper limb fractures.
Older adults with lower limb fractures had significantly higher disability scores. Falls and car accidents caused similar levels of physical limitation.
Key findings
01Participants with lower limb fractures had more difficulty with walking, running, exercising, driving, household chores and preparing meals than those with upper limb fractures.
02Those with upper limb fractures reported the most difficulty with bathing, which was significantly worse than in the lower limb fracture group.
03Older adults (60+) with lower limb fractures had significantly higher disability scores than younger age groups, but this age difference was not significant for upper limb fractures.
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
Cross-sectional design means causality cannot be determined. Convenience sampling was used due to cost and logistical constraints. The questionnaire was self-developed, though it underwent content validity checks. Only patients who could read or write in English or isiZulu were included, potentially excluding other language groups. Cognitively impaired patients were excluded.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was part of a larger project funded by the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that motor vehicle accident injuries result in significantly worse physical function than falls. Although mean scores were higher for MVAs in most tasks, the difference was not statistically significant.