The Future Healthcare Journal is published by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP). In a recent study, in that journal, the feasibility of smartwatches supporting rehabilitation post-surgical fixation was assessed (Hewage, 2023).
In this UK-based non-randomised intervention study patients who had sustained a hip fracture (age ≥65 and Abbreviated Mental Test Score ≥8/10), were recruited following surgical fixation; at one hospital to the intervention group, and at a second hospital to a usual care group. The intervention group received a smartwatch (Fitbit Charge 4) and app (CUSH Health©).
66 participants were recruited (median age 78 years). The intervention cohort were younger, but there were no significant differences in frailty or multi-morbidity between the cohorts. Hospital stay was shorter in the intervention cohort (10 days (7–16) versus 12 (10–18), p=0.05).
There were 15 falls-related readmissions in the control cohort, including 11 fractures, with none in the intervention cohort (p=0.016). In the intervention group, median daily step counts increased from 477 in hospital, to 931 at 1 week post-discharge, to 5,352 at 12-weeks. Of the intervention cohort, 12 withdrew.
This study found that smartwatch-supported rehabilitation was feasible in this cohort. A significant proportion of patients either chose not to participate or withdrew; such a decrease in participants must be addressed to avoid digital exclusion. Falls and fracture-related readmissions were more frequent at the control site compared with the intervention site.
