Analysis of muscle atrophy after hip fracture in the elderly.

Abstract

To examine the relationship between muscle atrophy, ambulatory ability, and fracture type, and to make a specific rehabilitation regimen for each fracture type. Observational study. Public hospital. Consecutive patients (N=53) with hip fracture (mean age, 83.6y) who underwent operative treatment. Not applicable. The ambulatory ability score and the cross-sectional areas of lower-limb muscles as measured on computed tomography scans. Muscle atrophy was not related to fracture type. Although the mean ambulatory ability score decreased significantly from 4.5+/-0.3 points prior to injury to 3.0+/-0.6 points 1 month postadmission, the degree of muscle atrophy was not associated with the decrease in ambulatory ability. It seems likely that other factors are more important than muscle atrophy and fracture type in determining recovery after surgical repair of a fracture and that there is no need for rehabilitation regimens based on fracture types.