Physical exercise and geriatric major depression: The Seeds study

Abstract

Methods.– Assessment of seven physical functions at baseline 7–10 days after the surgery and follow-up after four months: 10-meter walk test, Timedup and go, 30-s chair stand test, handgrip strength, Berg balance scale, Functional Ambulation Category and general mobility. Results.– The 47% dropout patients were significantly older, often lived alone and used indoorwalking aids. Therewas a large heterogeneity in all assessed variables at baseline and after four months. Therefore, the mean and median results are completed by figures showing all individual results at baseline and follow-up, compared to reference values and discussed in relation to degree of improvement. Conclusion.– The dropout group had poor health condition, which prohibits translation to the whole hip fracture population. The observed difference in physical functions at baseline and improvement at 4 months is essentially meaningless to report means and mediandataof functional assessmentofhip fracturepatients. There is a strong call for individualization in health analysis, targeting treatment and follow-up over time in hip fracture patients.