Handgrip Strength as a Predictor of Successful Rehabilitation After Hip Fracture in Patients 65 Years of Age and Above

PURPOSE: It is important to identify factors associated with the outcome of rehabilitation after hip fracture as an aid to planning the rehabilitation framework and the future discharge of patients. Previous studies have shown that handgrip strength (HGS) is one of the factors associated with the success of rehabilitation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study among patients 65 years of age and above who underwent surgical repair of a hip fracture followed by rehabilitation in the Geriatrics ward between September 2019 and December 2021. Successful rehabilitation was determined as Montebello Rehabilitation Factor Score Revised (MRFS-R) ≥50%. Associations were assessed between various sociodemographic and clinical variables, including HGS, and rehabilitation success. HGS was tested as a continuous and dichotomous variable, in accordance with various definitions of low muscle strength. RESULTS: Data were collected for 173 patients. The mean age was 81.2 ± 7.2 years and 68.2% were women. In a logistic regression model only HGS, as a continuous variable, was independently associated with rehabilitation success, with each increase of 1 kg increasing the chance for successful rehabilitation by 6.8%. CONCLUSION: HGS is a simple tool for the planning of the rehabilitation process among patients with hip fracture.