Sling Use and Functional Mobility in a Geriatric Population
- Conditions
- Mobility Limitation
- Interventions
- Device: Shoulder Sling
- Registration Number
- NCT03921619
- Lead Sponsor
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Brief Summary
Shoulder slings are commonly worn after shoulder surgery. In geriatric patients, painstaking care is taken to reduce any factors that may increase the chance of experiencing a fall. Currently, it is not understood if wearing a sling affects someone's general gait and balance.
- Detailed Description
Following many shoulder operations, patients are immobilized in an bulky sling with non-weight bearing restrictions for periods of up to 6 weeks. This is necessary to allow for soft tissue healing particularly following repair of rotator cuff tears and shoulder replacement surgeries, two common procedures performed in the elderly population. Previous studies have shown that natural arm swing plays an essential role in maintaining balance and normal gait patterns. Decreased functional mobility and gait impairment has been shown to increase the risk of falls, mortality, and morbidity in an elderly population. However, following upper extremity surgery requiring the use of a sling, targeted therapy for gait and balance training is rarely prescribed. Consequently, the investigators wish to assess whether or not sling use impacts functional mobility test scores in an elderly population. The aim of this project is to maximize perioperative functionality in these patients in efforts to prevent any unanticipated secondary injury.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 50
- Greater than or equal to 65 years of age
- Younger than 65 years of age
- Pre-existing cognitive impairment
- Pre-existing mobility impairment
- Pre-existing symptomatic upper or lower extremity disease
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- CROSSOVER
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Sling (Dominant) Shoulder Sling Participants will perform the balance tests with a sling on the dominant arm.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Timed Up & Go Test 30 seconds Timed stand, walk, and sit test to assess mobility
Sling / Fall Questionnaire 1 minute General questions about sling use and experiencing a fall. There is no scale associated with this questionnaire.
Tinetti Test 30 seconds Performance-oriented mobility assessment: Components are balance \& gait. Patient will be seated in a hard, armless chair and be assessed for balance with all of the following: sitting balance, rising from chair, attempting to rise, immediate standing balance (first 5 sec), standing balance, balance while being nudged, balance with eyes closed, turning 360 degrees, and sitting down. Scored out of 16. The gait portion assesses hesitancy, step length \& height, foot clearance, step symmetry, step continuity, path, trunk, and walking time. Scored out of 12. Total score out of 28.
If score is ≤18, risk of falls is high. If score is 19-23, risk of falls is moderate. If score is ≥24, risk of falls is low.Edmonton Frail Scale 1 minute Global assessment of patient vulnerability: Domains to be assessed are cognition (clock drawing), general health status (hospitalizations in last year \& describing own health), functional independence (how many ADL's require help), social support, medication use (5 or more on a regular basis, adherence to regimen), nutrition (weight loss), mood, continence, and functional performance (timed rising from chair and walking). Scored out of 17, higher scores associated with higher frailty.
Scoring : 0 - 5 = Not Frail; 6 - 7 = Vulnerable; 8 - 9 = Mild Frailty; 10-11 = Moderate Frailty; 12-17 = Severe Frailty;
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
UAB Hospital Highlands
🇺🇸Birmingham, Alabama, United States