Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Approximately 30,000 Canadians suffer a hip fracture each year; hip fractures cause substantial disability, morbidity and excess mortality. After experiencing a hip fracture many people have difficulty returning to their prior level of physical activity and function. While post-fracture rehabilitation helps people to improve their walking ability and regain some independence, many people remain disappointed in their ability to return to activities they enjoyed doing. With the increase and availability of technology, there is potential to develop eHealth solutions to help people continue their progress towards independence. Our team has developed a post-fracture home rehabilitation program which is facilitated by technology. The HIP Mobile technology, developed in partnership with Grey Box Solutions, is a mobile application (APP) consisting of an exercise program available on a tablet, which is monitored through a smart sole inserted in the shoe. The information collected from the sole is transmitted to the tablet to provide feedback on how the person is progressing in their exercises. A coaching support program is available through the HIP Mobile APP to promote adherence to the program and provide feedback. We will evaluate the acceptability and effectiveness of Hip Mobile to improve mobility, participation and quality of life, and the ability to remain safely and autonomously at home compared to services without this technology. If successfully implemented and adopted, the HIP Mobile e-solution could lead to improved patient experience, lower costs to the healthcare system and better outcomes in terms of independence. Character count: 1648 (max 2000)