Efficacy of home-based exercise programme on physical function after hip fracture: a systematic review and...

We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of home exercise programmes on body function after hip fractures. A computerised literature search was performed for published trials in PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Randomised trials were selected investigating home-based exercise programmes vs usual care without home-based exercise in hip fracture patients. Physical health (measured by Short Form 36), normal gait speed, fast gait speed, balance, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), activities of daily living (ADL), lower extremity strength, leg strength in fractured leg, leg strength in non-fractured leg, and Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) per randomised patient were measured as outcomes. Eleven randomised controlled trials of 1068 subjects were included, 533 in the home-based exercise group and 535 in the control group. The results of this meta-analysis showed that the home-based exercise programmes were not significantly associated with physical health, normal gait speed, fast gait speed, balance, IADL, ADL, and lower extremity strength but were significantly associated with leg strength in the fractured leg, leg strength in the non-fractured leg, and 6MWT. The home-based exercise programme had a positive, although not significant, effect on physical function after hip fracture. Low-intensity training and poor patient compliance are unavoidable problems in home-based exercise rehabilitation. A more task-oriented rehabilitation programme might possibly yield more benefits for disability outcomes.