Implementing Grip Strength Assessment to Enhance Risk Stratification in Hip Fracture Patients 

Description

The presentation led by Shiv Kolhe, a final-year medical student at Newcastle University, focuses on a study aimed at implementing grip strength assessment in the routine care of hip fracture patients. The work is conducted by the research team at Northumbria and serves to address the high morbidity and mortality associated with hip fractures. Current assessment practices utilize validated risk scores that do not account for sarcopenia; grip strength serves as an effective and cost-efficient surrogate marker of this condition.



The study is structured in three stages: firstly, developing a training protocol for grip strength implementation; secondly, delivering training to multidisciplinary team members; and finally, evaluating the implementation of grip strength assessments alongside existing data collection practices. Results showed successful adoption of the protocol, with a significant portion of patients assessed for grip strength, finding a correlation between lower grip strength and higher risk scores. The initiative proves to be both cost-effective and reproducible, providing a foundation for future research into larger cohorts and the potential to enhance preoperative risk assessment, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

DOI: 10.1302/3114-221598

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