BONE LOSS AFTER HIP FRACTURE IS CORRELATED TO THE POSTOPERATIVE DEGREE OF MOBILIZATION

This study quantifies changes in bone mineral density (BMD) in the opp osite hip and in both proximal tibiae and the correlation with the use of walking aids for patients with two types of hip fracture during th e Ist year after surgery, In all, 26 women and 15 men aged 42-88 years (median 71 years) were included. Twenty-one patients had an intracaps ular hip fracture (ICF) and 20 had an intertrochanteric fracture (ITF) . All patients were treated with a dynamic hip screw. BMD was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA; LUNAR, Wisconsin) within the Ist w eek after surgery and after 3, 6 and 12 months. Initial BMD of the non -fractured hip was significantly lower for both fracture groups compar ed with reference material. For both fracture types there was a signif icant decrease in BMD of the non-fractured hip and proximal tibia of t he fractured leg during the first 3 months, which still persisted a ye ar after surgery. Improved mobilisation between two examinations was p ositively correlated with changes in BMD of the proximal tibia of the fractured leg and the non-fractured hip.