Characterizing the fall and association between functional independence and balance in the elderly following proximal femoral surgery

Abstract

Introduction: Falling in the elderly should be considered sentinel events in the life of an individual, potentially marking in the initiation of an important decline in his functional capacity, have a multicausal etiology and can be attributed to extrinsic factors and intrinsic factors. Objective:To characterize sociodemographics and the diseases of the elderly who sustained a proximal femoral fracture, as a result of falls from a standing height, and to study the relationship between balance and functional independence of these elderly.Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted over a period of 12 months in a teaching hospital, with a sample of 89 elderly (≥ 60 years).Results: The characteristics of the elderly patients which demonstrated significance with functional independence were: the presence of nervous system disease, and/or mental and behavioural disorders (p = 0.001), and balance (p <0.001). Surgeries in the proximal femoral region occurred in females (67.3%), elderly patients ≥ 80 years of age (46.1%), and 60.7% underwent osteosynthesis. Conclusions:In relationship to functional independence, 23.6% of the elderly were classified as maximum dependence, 38.2% as minimum, and 38.2% as modified independence. The elderly gained balance significantly as they regained their functional independence, regardless of age, gender, and whether or not they presented with nervous system disease and/or mental and behavioural disorders.