Effects of Trunk Muscle-strengthening Exercise in Post-operative Patients with Proximal Femoral Fractures: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

To investigate the effects of trunk muscle-strengthening exercise in post-operative patients with proximal femoral fractures. [Subjects] Nineteen post-operative patients (81.6 ± 7.9 years) with proximal femoral fractures were randomly assigned to either a trunk muscle-strengthening exercise plus conventional exercise group (TEG, n=10) or a conventional exercise group (CEG, n=9). [Methods] TEG performed a trunk muscle-strengthening exercise 5 times a week for 4 weeks. Assessments at baseline and post-intervention included trunk muscle strength, 10-m walking time, the functional reach test (FRT), and the timed up and go test (TUG). [Results] The TEG demonstrated significant improvements in trunk muscle strength, 10-m walking time, FRT, and TUG. The CEG demonstrated a significant improvement only in 10-m walking time. There were no significant differences between both groups. [Conclusion] These results suggest that trunk muscle-strengthening exercise may have a positive effect on the gait and balance ability of post-operative patients with proximal femoral fractures.