Postural Stability Following Femoral Shaft Fracture

Femur shaft fracture can occur with different mechanisms in all age groups. Patients often develop instability problems when fracture is close to knee which functions as intermediate joint. This has been attributed to dysfunction of proprioception receptors. In this research we tried to analyze the frequency and type of instability in patients following femur shaft fracture. This study was carried out on 15 patients with isolated femoral shaft fracture within the range of 20-45 years of age treated by plate fixation and 15 healthy individuals as the control group that were matched with the previous group by age height weight and sex. Both groups were asked to stand on a round plate called “Biodex” (which is able to tilt in different direction) randomly. The “stability index” and “stability range” were measured. Our results showed that postural “stability index” in control group was statistically better in nearly all erect body positions. In contrast the difference in stability range in the two groups was not statistically significant. The presence of statistically significant difference between the two groups in “stability index” and its absence in “stability range” among the two groups indicate that the major stability problem in patients with femoral shaft fracture is asymmetric weight bearing and consequently impairment in static stability. Also a healthy neuromuscular system is a convincing evidence for absence of statistically significant difference in “stability range index”.