The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of lesser trochanter displacement on the recovery of hip flexor strength in patients with trochanteric fractures.
Twenty-nine patients with TF admitted to a rehabilitation hospital participated in this study. Hip flexor, hip abductor, and knee extensor muscle strengths were measured on both sides using a handheld dynamometer at admission, one-month post-admission, and discharge. Walking ability was assessed at discharge. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of lesser trochanter displacement, as determined by X-ray imaging. Muscle strength was normalized for body weight and limb length, and a repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare the effects of group and time factors. Post-hoc tests were conducted for significant differences, with a significance level set at p 0.05.
Among the participants, 9 had lesser trochanter displacement, while 20 did not. No significant differences in basic demographic characteristics were found between the groups (Age: p = 0.60, Sex: p = 0.38, Elapsed days: p = 0.87, Acute phase days: p = 0.06, Gait speed: p = 0.17, Timed Up and Go test: p = 0.30, 6-minute walk test: p = 0.99, Functional Ambulation Category: p = 0.83). Significant reductions in hip flexor strength were observed in the injured limb of patients with lesser trochanter displacement, with this reduction persisting from admission to discharge (Between subjects factor: p = 0.01, Within subjects factor: p = 0.05). Hip abduction on the injured side (Between subjects factor: p = 0.21, Within subjects factor: p 0.01 ) and bilateral knee extension (Between subjects factor: p = 0.43, p = 0.78, Within subjects factor: p 0.01, p = 0.01, respectively) did not show significant intergroup differences but demonstrated significant improvements over time, as indicated by post-hoc tests, trending towards recovery by discharge. No interaction effects were detected among the variables.
Lesser trochanter displacement was found to significantly hinder the recovery of hip flexor strength following TF.
These findings suggest that specialized strength training regimens targeting hip flexor recovery may be necessary for patients with lesser trochanter displacement. This could help inform more effective rehabilitation strategies.
Lesser trochanter displacement
Hip flexion strength
