More than 80 percent of hip fracture patients don’t fully recover with traditional rehabilitation methods. That’s why researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are trying a new approach: combining extended exercise therapy with daily use of a topical testosterone gel. Elderly men and women with recent hip fractures may be eligible to participate.
As covered by Medicare and most third-party insurance plans, hip fracture rehabilitation typically involves up to 16 weeks of therapy conducted in the home. But a team led by Ellen F. Binder, M.D., assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Sciences and staff physician at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, recently published a study that showed extending supervised outpatient rehabilitation by six months helps elderly patients more fully recover from hip fractures.
“Hip fractures are very prevalent in the elderly, and research shows that most patients have significant difficulty performing daily activities even after standard therapy,” Binder says. “Our goal is to help elderly hip fracture patients live independently in their own homes for as long as possible, which is usually an important component of their quality of life.”
Her team now is taking their approach one step further by combining the additional six months of exercise therapy with six months of daily testosterone gel treatment. Testosterone’s contribution to muscle mass and strength may enhance recovery from hip fractures, researchers believe.
Individuals over 65 years old who have had surgery to treat a hip fracture in the past four months may be eligible. Those who qualify will be randomly assigned to receive either a topical testosterone gel or an inactive, placebo gel. The dosage of testosterone will differ between male and female participants.
In addition, female participants will be prescribed a six-month home-based exercise program, supplemented by one exercise session at the School of Medicine each month. Male participants will be asked to attend a supervised exercise-training program at the Medical Center three times a week for six months. All study-related evaluations and medications are provided free of charge.
For more information, call (314) 286-2716.
The full-time and volunteer faculty of Washington University School of Medicine are the physicians and surgeons of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals. The School of Medicine is one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient care institutions in the nation, currently ranked second in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.