Early Postoperative Gait Analysis in Elderly Patients Following Hip Fracture Surgery

Hip fractures in elderly patients significantly reduce independence and quality of life. Early postoperative gait performance remains poorly understood, particularly regarding differences between surgical treatments, such as proximal femur nailing and hemiarthroplasty. Identifying gait alterations e...

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Main Authors: Gereon Anton Hecht, Rachel Senden, Rik Marcellis, Matthias Mertes, Paul Willems, Kenneth Meijer, Martijn Poeze, Taco J. Blokhuis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Sensors
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/6/1888
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author Gereon Anton Hecht
Rachel Senden
Rik Marcellis
Matthias Mertes
Paul Willems
Kenneth Meijer
Martijn Poeze
Taco J. Blokhuis
author_facet Gereon Anton Hecht
Rachel Senden
Rik Marcellis
Matthias Mertes
Paul Willems
Kenneth Meijer
Martijn Poeze
Taco J. Blokhuis
author_sort Gereon Anton Hecht
collection DOAJ
description Hip fractures in elderly patients significantly reduce independence and quality of life. Early postoperative gait performance remains poorly understood, particularly regarding differences between surgical treatments, such as proximal femur nailing and hemiarthroplasty. Identifying gait alterations early in rehabilitation could optimize clinical interventions. This prospective observational cohort study included 40 elderly patients hospitalized after acute hip fracture surgery. Relative peak force and step duration were assessed using the ambulant pressure biofeedback system during postoperative mobilization. Additionally, three-dimensional gait analysis evaluated spatiotemporal parameters and sagittal plane kinematics of the hip, knee, and ankle. Results demonstrated significant improvements in median peak force (45.32% to 70.00%, (<i>p</i> < 0.001)) and median step duration (2.96 s to 137 s, (<i>p</i> < 0.001)) at the end of the hospitalization period. No significant differences in step duration and peak force were observed between the different surgical procedures, proximal femur nail, and hemiarthroplasty. Three-dimensional gait analysis showed significantly reduced hip extension during terminal stance in the operated leg compared to the healthy leg. These findings highlight the utility of biofeedback systems for monitoring early rehabilitation progress and emphasize the importance of 3D gait analysis in identifying early postoperative gait deficits. Targeted interventions during hospitalization could enhance functional recovery and improve patient outcomes.
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spelling doaj-art-e1b1f00f3d4e47e6abd4daa050ceb0cd2025-08-20T02:43:07ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-03-01256188810.3390/s25061888Early Postoperative Gait Analysis in Elderly Patients Following Hip Fracture SurgeryGereon Anton Hecht0Rachel Senden1Rik Marcellis2Matthias Mertes3Paul Willems4Kenneth Meijer5Martijn Poeze6Taco J. Blokhuis7Department of Trauma Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), 6229 HX Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Physical Therapy, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), 6229 HX Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Physical Therapy, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), 6229 HX Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), 6229 HX Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), 6229 HX Maastricht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Trauma Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC+), 6229 HX Maastricht, The NetherlandsHip fractures in elderly patients significantly reduce independence and quality of life. Early postoperative gait performance remains poorly understood, particularly regarding differences between surgical treatments, such as proximal femur nailing and hemiarthroplasty. Identifying gait alterations early in rehabilitation could optimize clinical interventions. This prospective observational cohort study included 40 elderly patients hospitalized after acute hip fracture surgery. Relative peak force and step duration were assessed using the ambulant pressure biofeedback system during postoperative mobilization. Additionally, three-dimensional gait analysis evaluated spatiotemporal parameters and sagittal plane kinematics of the hip, knee, and ankle. Results demonstrated significant improvements in median peak force (45.32% to 70.00%, (<i>p</i> < 0.001)) and median step duration (2.96 s to 137 s, (<i>p</i> < 0.001)) at the end of the hospitalization period. No significant differences in step duration and peak force were observed between the different surgical procedures, proximal femur nail, and hemiarthroplasty. Three-dimensional gait analysis showed significantly reduced hip extension during terminal stance in the operated leg compared to the healthy leg. These findings highlight the utility of biofeedback systems for monitoring early rehabilitation progress and emphasize the importance of 3D gait analysis in identifying early postoperative gait deficits. Targeted interventions during hospitalization could enhance functional recovery and improve patient outcomes.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/6/1888hip fracturesgait analysisbiofeedbackpostoperative care
spellingShingle Gereon Anton Hecht
Rachel Senden
Rik Marcellis
Matthias Mertes
Paul Willems
Kenneth Meijer
Martijn Poeze
Taco J. Blokhuis
Early Postoperative Gait Analysis in Elderly Patients Following Hip Fracture Surgery
Sensors
hip fractures
gait analysis
biofeedback
postoperative care
title Early Postoperative Gait Analysis in Elderly Patients Following Hip Fracture Surgery
title_full Early Postoperative Gait Analysis in Elderly Patients Following Hip Fracture Surgery
title_fullStr Early Postoperative Gait Analysis in Elderly Patients Following Hip Fracture Surgery
title_full_unstemmed Early Postoperative Gait Analysis in Elderly Patients Following Hip Fracture Surgery
title_short Early Postoperative Gait Analysis in Elderly Patients Following Hip Fracture Surgery
title_sort early postoperative gait analysis in elderly patients following hip fracture surgery
topic hip fractures
gait analysis
biofeedback
postoperative care
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/6/1888
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