Preinjury Mobility Predicts Adults' Recovery After Lower-Extremity Fracture
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, May 15, 2025 -- Preinjury mobility data predicts recovery following a lower-extremity fracture in adults, according to a proof-of-concept study published online April 28 in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
Brian M. Shear, M.D., from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, and colleagues assessed whether preinjury mobility data, combined with demographic and injury data, reliably predicted recovery six or more months after the surgical treatment of a lower-extremity fracture. Analysis included 107 adult patients (mean age, 45 years).
The researchers found that preinjury function strongly predicted postinjury mobility in all models. Average daily step count increased by 65 steps each week after the injury. Within six weeks postinjury, weekly gains were significantly greater (92 daily steps per week), compared to 20 to 26 weeks postinjury (19 daily steps per week). There was an association between greater preinjury steps and increased postinjury mobility (301 daily steps postinjury per 1,000 steps preinjury). While mean walking speed declined by 0.200 m/s from injury to eight weeks postinjury, average walking speed increased from 12 to 26 weeks postinjury by 0.071 m/s.
"This novel approach has the potential to reshape how orthopedic care is delivered -- empowering patients with clearer expectations, enabling earlier detection of complications, and supporting more personalized, data-driven recovery plans," Shear said in a statement. "We also have an app under development to support this work, with plans to launch multicenter trials later this year."
One author disclosed ties to the medical device industry.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted May 2025
Read this next
More Than One in 10 Surgical Patients Face Food Insecurity
FRIDAY, June 20, 2025 -- Food insecurity is a significant burden among U.S. surgical patients, according to a study published online June 18 in JAMA Surgery. Annabelle...
Transfibular Total Ankle Arthroplasty Seems Effective for End-Stage Arthritis
MONDAY, June 16, 2025 -- Transfibular total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) seems effective and durable for end-stage ankle arthritis, according to a study published online April 29 in...
ASCO: Durvalumab Plus FLOT Beneficial for Resectable Gastric, GE Junction Cancer
THURSDAY, June 5, 2025 -- For patients with resectable gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, durvalumab plus fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.