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

Nordell, Eva LU ; Jarnlo, Gun-Britt LU and Thorngren, Karl-Göran LU (2003) In Advances in Physiotherapy 5(4). p.146-154
Abstract
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... (More)
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. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
handgrip strength, fracture, Falls, walking speed, physical performance
in
Advances in Physiotherapy
volume
5
issue
4
pages
146 - 154
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:0347599176
ISSN
1651-1948
DOI
10.1080/14038190310016788
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
27850a0d-1fe8-429c-a70e-96b48b89327f (old id 1126903)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:26:10
date last changed
2022-03-29 00:51:48
@article{27850a0d-1fe8-429c-a70e-96b48b89327f,
  abstract     = {{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&lt;0.001) the first year after the fracture. Comfortable and fast walking speed decreased with 0.09 m/s (p=0.001 and p&lt;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       = {{Nordell, Eva and Jarnlo, Gun-Britt and Thorngren, Karl-Göran}},
  issn         = {{1651-1948}},
  keywords     = {{handgrip strength; fracture; Falls; walking speed; physical performance}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{146--154}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Advances in Physiotherapy}},
  title        = {{Decrease in Physical Function after Fall-related Distal Forearm Fracture in Elderly Women}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14038190310016788}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/14038190310016788}},
  volume       = {{5}},
  year         = {{2003}},
}