Biofeedback versus physiotherapy in patients with partial weight-bearing

Medical instructions for partial weight-bearing after lower limb surgery and fractures are commonly given. The techniques for instruction are mainly verbal cues. Our aim was to evaluate the efficiency of a new biofeedback device compared with traditional intervention for gait rehabilitation. After orthopedic surgery, 33 patients, randomly divided into a study group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 18), completed 10 days of a rehabilitation protocol. A significant difference (P<.05) was found between the groups. Study subjects were able to follow weight-bearing instructions better. We suggest that gait rehabilitation is more efficient when biofeedback is used to instruct patients regarding partial weight-bearing.