Marissa Mendelsohn
University of Western Ontario

Improvement in aerobic fitness during rehabilitation following hip fracture

Hip fracture is one of the leading causes of disability, morbidity and mortality in older people. With such high morbidity, it is clear that patients with hip fracture require intensive rehabilitation to achieve a return to the quality of life similar to that which they experienced prior to the hip fracture.

In her study, Dr. Mendelsohn and her colleagues recruited twenty patients with hip fracture aged 66-91 and divided them into two groups: training (upper body exercise training program plus standard care rehabilitation) and controls (standard care rehabilitation alone). Exercise testing was used to determine if patients improved in their aerobic fitness and mobility after the rehabilitation stay.

The results provide evidence that upper body exercise may induce improvements in both cardiorespiratory function and walking ability. Clinicians should consider incorporating an upper body exercise intervention in their standard care rehabilitation for patients with hip fractures

Dr. Mendelsohn is committed to developing a career in gerontology and rehabilitation science. More specifically, her career goal is to design individualized rehabilitation programs that will maximally improve cardiovascular fitness, mobility, and functional autonomy of frail older adults requiring rehabilitation for various conditions, such as hip fracture or deconditioning post-acute illness.

This research project formed a major part of Dr. Mendelsohn's Doctoral thesis work. Currently, in autumn 2008, she has completed a postdoctoral fellowship focusing on similar projects that will provide her with invaluable experience with mobility research involving older adults.