Decrease in Physical Function after Fall-related Distal Forearm Fracture in Elderly Women

Summary, in English

Fractures occur in about every tenth of accidental falls and a distal forearm fracture is one of the commonest fractures. People who have sustained a distal forearm fracture are at risk of sustaining other fractures later in life. The purpose of this study was to describe physical performance regarding handgrip strength, one leg standing and walking speed over time in women after a fall-related distal forearm fracture. Forty-three women, mean age 68 years (50-84), were followed for a mean period of 13 months. The women were interviewed and bone mass density was measured. Handgrip strength, walking speed and one leg stance were measured. Twenty-three women (53%) had osteopenia or osteoporosis. The handgrip strength of the non-fractured hand declined with 4.2 kg (p<0.001) the first year after the fracture. Comfortable and fast walking speed decreased with 0.09 m/s (p=0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). The fall-related distal forearm fracture led to reduction of physical performance, shown by decline of handgrip strength and walking speed. Our results indicate that physical therapy treatment after a distal forearm fracture also has to focus on physical capacity. This should be further explored for this group of patients.

• Author: Eva Nordell; Gun-Britt Jarnlo; Karl-Göran Thorngren
• Department/s: Orthopaedics (Lund); Human Movement: health and rehabilitation
• Publishing year: 2003
• Language: English
• Pages: 146-154
• Publication/Series: Advances in Physiotherapy
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 4
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14038190310016788
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Topic: Orthopedics
• Keywords: handgrip strength; fracture; Falls; walking speed; physical performance
• Status: Published
• Research group: Human Movement: health and rehabilitation
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 1651-1948