Abstract
This study aimed to determine the validity of measurement of the weight-bearing capacity of the lower limbs after orthopedic lower-limb surgery in terms of the evaluation of physical functions, involving 19 elderly patients (mean age: 75.8±7.6) who underwent orthopedic lowerlimb surgery. The weight-bearing capacity of the lower limbs and strength of the quadriceps muscle in a sitting position were examined by calculating Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between the diameter of the femur, thickness of the quadriceps muscle, and FIM motor sub-scores (FIM-M).As a result, both the weight-bearing capacity of the lower limbs and strength of the quadriceps muscle were shown to be significantly correlated with ADL levels; the weight-bearing capacity of the lower limbs exhibited higher correlation coefficients with all sub-items. These results suggest that measurement of the weight-bearing capacity of the lower limbs in a sitting position is more appropriate to evaluate ADL levels of elderly patients after orthopedic lower-limb surgery than that of the strength of the quadriceps muscle.
