Singaram S, Naidoo M. The physical impact of long bone fractures on adults in KwaZulu-Natal.
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOTHERAPY 2020;
76:1393. [PMID:
32935065 PMCID:
PMC7479430 DOI:
10.4102/sajp.v76i1.1393]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Limb fractures are increasingly common in low-income and middle-income countries due to an increase in motor vehicle and other accidents. Fractures may often lead to physical impairment that affects an individual's ability to carry out tasks.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the physical impact of long bone fractures on adults in KwaZulu-Natal.
METHOD
A standardised questionnaire pertaining to activities at home and leisure was used to establish patient-reported outcomes at nine public hospitals. English-speaking and isiZulu-speaking participants who had sustained a single long bone fracture in the preceding 4 to 12 weeks at the time of data collection were included. The following activities were evaluated: walking, running, exercising, driving, performing household chores, writing, answering telephones, texting on a cell phone, bathing, using crockery and preparing meals.
RESULTS
A total of 821 participants completed the questionnaire. Ninety-three per cent had closed long bone fractures and 69 per cent were lower limb fractures. Fifty-seven per cent of the fractures were caused by a fall. Female participants (p = 0.19) with lower limb fractures were more likely to have greater difficulty in performing tasks and participants 60 years of age and older (p = 0.001) were significantly more likely to have difficulty performing tasks.
CONCLUSION
These findings illustrate the daily limitations in patients' everyday activities at home, leisure and in activities such as driving.
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS
This study highlights the difficulty that some individuals, particularly women and individuals 60 years of age and older, face in performing daily tasks after experiencing a long bone fracture.
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