Effectiveness of Post-Acute Rehabilitation on Functional Outcome after Hip Fracture

Objective: We investigated the effectiveness of functional recovery after 2-week post-acute rehabilitation in elderly people with hip fractures. Design: We divided the patients (N = 129) into 2 groups: the post-acute care (PAC) group (N = 90) that received 2-week in-hospital rehabilitation and the control group (N =39) that were discharged immediately. Outcomes were measured according to the Barthel Index (BI) score. Results: The BI scores at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months were higher in the PAC group than those in the control group, especially for transfer and mobility. Males, aged less than 80 years old, or who had received hemiarthroplasty showed more improvement than that of the other patients. Patients with moderate initial functional status showed the most improvement after receiving the PAC program. All patients in the control group showed decreased BI scores after discharge. Conclusion: Functional recovery in patients with hip fracture was significantly better in the PAC group, especially for ambulation and transfer.