Mobility in Acute Care for Geriatric Patients with Orthopedic Conditions: a Review of Recent Literature

AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe purpose of this literature review is to appraise the current research surrounding the impact of mobility for geriatric patients presenting with orthopedic conditions in the acute care setting.Recent FindingsA literature search in the PubMed database yielded 53 results which underwent a title and abstract screening to reveal a total of 22 articles eligible for full-text review. Two authors screened each article and a third author was responsible for reconciling any conflicts. Following the full-text screen, 10 total articles were extracted and evaluated to determine what the current literature has concluded about the impact of mobilization for geriatric patients with orthopedic conditions in the acute care setting. Studies are inconsistent in their dosage parameters of mobility for geriatric orthopedic patients and range in initiating protocols 6 to 24  h following surgery. Protocols and activity standards vary from 1.8 to 8.3 METs, 0 to 1000 steps per day, 15 min walks, or a 5-day mobility protocol focused on functional and strengthening activities. Studies range in reported length of stay (LOS) but infer that the earlier mobility is initiated the risk of prolonged LOS is decreased. Finally, studies report greater success with mobility protocols when multiple disciplines are educated and involved in implementation.SummaryDespite the limitations of this study and existing literature, it is clear that integrating mobility within the first 24  h f...
Source: Current Geriatrics Reports - Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research