[Walking recovery in stroke patients with femoral fracture]

The aims of this study were: 1) to evaluated the degree of walking of hemiplegic patients after femur fracture, 2) to evaluate if the neurological damage interferes with the recovery of walking. We studied 51 hemiplegic patients with femur fracture. All patients could walk without any help before the fracture. At the end of the rehabilitation period we had the following results: 5.8% of patients regained full walking independence; 37.2% walked with a cane; 43.1% with a quadripod; 9.8% walked with assistance; 3.9% remained unable to walk. 50.9% of them regained their prefracture functions. 96.1% returned directly to their own home, the remaining 3.9% were admitted to Geriatric hospitals. To address the second aim, we divided the same patients into two groups of 20 patients each (A = mild impairment; B = severe impairment) according to Mathew's scale. At the end of treatment, 95% of group A and 75% of group B regained full walking independence.

1) the femur fracture did not influence the recovery of walking in stroke patients, 2) patients with mild neurological impairment had enhanced recovery of walking.