Description

The increase of the aging population challenges health care providers. Fragility, oste-oporosis, and impaired balance are some major risk factors for hip fracture, an injury causing morbidity, mortality, and loss of independent life. This study aims to study if adding continuous measures of body positions and movements 24 hours a day with an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) can, compared to standard rehabilitation alone, optimize rehabilitation after hip fracture. The study is designed as a randomized controlled trial. Patients with hip fracture that require rehabilitation at home, will be invited to participate in the study. Those who accept to participate will randomly be assigned to intervention- or control group. The intervention comprises standard rehabilitation and continuous measures of body positions and movements 24 hours a day with an IMU. Standard rehabilitation comprises of home-visits by a PT, where an individualized rehabilitation plan is outlined together with the patient. The plan includes individually tailored functional exercises. The plan also includes individually tailored walking exercises, indoor and outdoor when possible. At each home visit, the PT provides feedback to the participant based on the data from the IMU, i.e. body positions (time spent in sitting, standing, lying down) and body movements (steps per day, step length, walking speed, sideway deviation during walking). The control group receives standard rehabilitation only. The primary outcome is balance, in terms of postural sway measured with the IMU, and functional balance measured with the Functional Balance test for Geriatric patients, secondary outcomes are health-related quality of life, measured with the EQ5D, functional independence in everyday activities, measured with the Barthel Index, fear of falling, measured with the Falls Efficacy Scale International, satisfaction with rehabilitation, measured with a single question, and compliance to the intervention .