EVALUATION OF REHABILITATION OUTCOMES AFTER HIP FRACTURES IN THE HEALTH RESORT DOLENJSKE TOPLICE

Background. Hip fracture is common among elderly people. It leads to immediate inability to walk, which may be dangerous for an older person. Consequences of hip fractures are impairments of body structure and functions and problems at activities. The aim of the present work was to find whether Functional Independence Measure and the 9-minute walking test were appropriate for outcome measurement in health resorts. Additional aims were to find whether a third week of rehabilitation improved the rehabilitation outcome in subjects after hip fracture and which subjects would benefit from longer rehabilitation. Methods. Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and the nine-minute walking test were performed at the admission and at the discharge of 60 subjects after hip fracture who had received rehabilitation in the Health Resort Dolenjske Toplice. Results. The subjects had higher FIM scores and walked longer distances after two weeks of rehabilitation (p < 0.05). The greatest improvement was achieved in the motor part of FIM. The subjects who had received rehabilitation for three weeks had a lower FIM score at the admission than the subjects who had received rehabilitation for only two weeks (p < 0.05). More subjects from the first group did not walk at the admission. Conclusions. Functional Independence Measure and the 9-minute walking test are appropriate for outcome measurement in health resorts.