The tolerance of physiotherapy treatment in patients with COVID-19 and undergoing surgery for fragility hip fracture: An observational study

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the tolerance of physiotherapy treatment implemented for patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and undergoing hip surgery Case-control study. During the period between March and May 2020, 9 patients were enrolled in the study with diagnosis of COVID-19 and hip fracture. In order to evaluate the tolerability of physiotherapy treatment a comparison group, involving 27 patients with a hip fracture but in the absence of suspicion of COVID-19 positivity, were put together. Blood saturation and heart rate, number of physiotherapy sessions, start of physiotherapy from surgery, number of healthcare providers, recovery of ambulation, execution of walking training and dyspnea measured by Borg scale were collected before and after each single physiotherapy session to describe the exercise tolerance of the patients. There are no significant differences between the two groups regarding basic characteristics. Average of Borg scale post treatment for COVID patients was 1.3 (DS = 1.3) compared to 0.6 (DS = 0.7) of non-COVID patients (P < .0005) but the breathing difficulty was light during the treatment, only 9% of COVID patients had a worsening superior of two points with Borg scale compared to 3% of non-COVID patients (P = .138). The incidence of walking recovery was 63% in the non-COVID patients group compared to 44.4% in the COVID group (P = .329). Physiotherapy treatment of patients with COVID-19 infection and undergoing surgery for hip fracture is well tolerated and should be encouraged and well monitored.