Rehabilitation in the Home After Hip Fracture (NCT06980129) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable
Rehabilitation in the Home After Hip Fracture
Australia220 participantsStarted 2025-06-01
Plain-language summary
Hip fractures are common, especially in older adults, and they can have a big impact on health and quality of life. In Australia, hip fractures are a significant healthcare challenge. After surgery, patients often need rehabilitation to regain mobility, but this usually involves long hospital stays. The RITH4Hips trial will determine if a program where patients receive rehabilitation at home (instead of in the hospital) is similar to conventional inpatient rehabilitation.
Objectives:
The main goal of this study is to find out if rehabilitation at home after surgery for a hip fracture works as well as rehabilitation in the hospital. The investigators also want to see if the home rehabilitation program can reduce the time spent in a hospital bed and improve other aspects like quality of life, mobility, and pain management.
Methods:
This study will involve older adults who have had surgery due to a low-trauma hip fracture. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the usual care inpatient rehabilitation or the Rehabilitation in the Home (RITH) program. The investigators will measure outcomes such as how well patients can move, how much pain they experience, how their quality of life improves, and how much time they spend in the hospital.
Expected Outcomes:
The investigators expect that the home rehabilitation program will be just similar to inpatient rehabilitation in helping patients recover mobility. The investigators also hope to find that it will reduce the time patients spend in a hospital bed, improve their quality of life, reduce fear of falling, and lessen the burden on carers. Additionally, the investigators aim to show that the home program is more cost-effective than hospital-based rehabilitation.
Who can participate
Age range
50 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Community-dwelling adults ages ≥ 50 years presenting to Liverpool hospital or Bankstown-Lidcombe hospital with a low-trauma (osteoporotic) hip fracture who undergo surgical management
* Anticipated to return to community (private) residence
* Permitted to weight-bear as tolerated post-surgery
* Suitable for inpatient rehabilitation (i.e., requires multidisciplinary rehabilitation, is considered cognitively suitable by the MDT to participate in the rehabilitation program being examined, and would otherwise be admitted to inpatient rehabilitation)
* The presence of a carer, if required for mobility or function, is necessary at the time of transfer to the community. The carer must be prepared to manage the patient within 3 days post-randomisation. This time frame is considered necessary as carers will not be able to complete all required preparations before randomisation, and allowing an extended preparation period could bias the length of physical ward bed stay for the RITH group
* Suitable environment for home-based rehabilitation as assessed by the MDT as per usual practice
Exclusion Criteria:
* Presence of a concomitant condition that precludes actively participating in a rehabilitation program at home
* Residential location outside the Bankstown-Canterbury, Liverpool, and Fairfield Local Government Areas
* Active end-of-life management or palliative care
* Previously participated in the HITH4Hips or RITH4Hips trials
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
De Morton Mobility Index (DEMMI)
Timeframe: At 1 to 3 days following discharge from the rehabilitation program (an average of 14 days after admission to rehabilitation) and at 6 weeks after initial admission.