Objective To determine the factors affecting the amount of weight-bearing during gait training in the elderly patients who underwent internal fixation after femur or pelvic fractures and how well they performed the weight-bearing restriction as directed by the physiatrist.Methods In this retrospective chart review study, we measured the amount of weight-bearing on the affected side in 50 patients undergoing internal fixation surgery and rehabilitation after femur or pelvic fracture using a force plate. Patients receiving non-weight-bearing or partial weight-bearing education were considered to perform weight-bearing restriction well when the amount of weight-bearing was <50 lb. Furthermore, regression analysis was performed to determine the effects of postoperative complications, age, cognitive function, and pain on weightbearing restriction.Results Variables affecting the amount of weight-bearing were age (r=0.581, p<0.001), weight-bearing education type (r=0.671, p<0.001), manual muscle strength of hip flexion on the non-affected side (r=-0.296, p=0.037), hip abduction (r=-0.326, p=0.021), knee extension (r=-0.374, p=0.007), ankle plantar flexion (r=-0.374, p=0.008), right hand grip strength (r=-0.535, p<0.001), Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (r=-0.496, p<0.001), Clinical Dementia Rating (r=0.308, p=0.03), and pain visual analog scale scores (r=0.318, p=0.024). The significant predictor of the amount of weight-bearing among these variables was age (β=0.448, p=0.001). The weight-bearing restriction adherence rate was significantly lower, at 22%, for patients aged ≥65 years as compared to 73% for those <65 years.Conclusion Age was a major variable affecting the amount of weight-bearing. Compliance with weight-bearing restriction was significantly lower in patients aged ≥65 years than in patients <65 years.

Induced premature menopause accelerates the rate of body composition changes (decrease in skeletal muscle mass and increase in fat mass) and deteriorating physical function. However, few studies have focused on the impact of premature natural menopause. This study aimed to investigate the impact of age at natural menopause (ANM) on body composition and physical function in elderly women. Using data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study, 765 community-dwelling elderly women aged 70 to 85 years who experienced natural menopause were recruited in this study. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Physical function was evaluated by grip strength, the timed up and go test (TUG), and the short physical performance battery (SPPB). Participants were categorized into 4 groups according to their ANM: <40 (premature natural menopause, PNM), 40 to 44 (early natural menopause, ENM), 45 to 54 (normal menopause, NM), and ≥55 (late menopause, LM) years. There were no significant differences in the body composition parameters, such as the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (PNM: 5.90 ± 0.90 vs ENM: 5.91 ± 0.70 vs NM: 5.85 ± 0.73 vs LM: 5.90 ± 0.75, kg/m 2 , P = .75) and trunk fat mass index (PNM: 19.4 ± 3.9 vs ENM: 19.9 ± 4.4 vs NM: 19.9 ± 3.9 vs LM: 20.0 ± 3.8, %, P = .87) between the groups. In the physical function evaluation, there was no significant difference between the groups in grip strength (PNM: 19.8 ± 0.6 vs ENM: 20.3 ± 0.4 vs NM: 20.6 ± 0.2 vs LM: 20.6 ± 0.4, kg, P = .53). However, in the TUG (PNM: 11.8 ± 0.4 vs ENM: 10.3 ± 0.3 vs NM: 10.6 ± 0.1 vs LM: 10.2 ± 0.3, seconds, P < .01) and SPPB (PNM: 10.0 ± 0.2 vs ENM: 10.5 ± 0.2 vs NM: 10.6 ± 0.1 vs LM: 10.8 ± 0.2, points, P < .05), the PNM group showed significantly lower values than the other groups did. There was no difference in physical function between the groups except the PNM. Premature natural menopause did not affect the body composition in elderly women but was associated with physical function deterioration. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the prevention of the physical function deterioration caused by premature natural menopause in elderly women.

Background: This study investigates the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in preventing deltoid atrophy during the first 12 weeks after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.Methods: Eighteen patients undergoing arthroscopic repair of a medium-sized rotator cuff tear by a single surgeon, were randomized into two groups: NMES and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Each group used the respective device for 6 weeks after surgery. Pain was measured at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks postoperatively, using the visual analogue scale (VAS); range of motion (ROM), abduction strength and functional scores were measured at baseline and 12 weeks postoperatively. Deltoid thickness and cross-sectional areas were measured using magnetic resonance imaging at 12 weeks postoperatively.Results: At 12 weeks post-surgery, no statistically significant difference was observed between the NMES and TENS groups in the pain VAS, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score, ROM, and abduction strength. Postoperative decrease in the thickness of the anterior, middle, and posterior deltoid, at the level just below the coracoid, was -2.5%, -0.7%, and -6.8%, respectively, in the NMES group, and -14.0%, -2.6%, and -8.2%, respectively, in the TENS group (<i>p</i>=0.016, <i>p</i>=0.677, and <i>p</i>=0.791, respectively). At the level of the inferior glenoid tubercle, postoperative decrease in area of the deltoid was -5.4% in the NMES group and -14.0% in the TENS group, which was significantly different (<i>p</i>=0.045).Conclusions: NMES has the potential for reducing deltoid atrophy after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, suggesting that NMES might help minimize postoperative atrophy after various shoulder surgeries.