Do levels of sedentary behaviour and physical activity differ according to weight-bearing status after lower limb fracture? A prospective cohort study

Background/purpose: To determine whether sedentary behaviour and physical activity differ according to initial weight-bearing status 2 weeks and 6 months after lower limb (LL) fracture. Methods: Two weeks and 6 months following LL fracture, 47 adults aged 18–69 wore ActiGraph and activPAL accelerometers for 10 days. Sitting time, steps, and moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA) were compared between weight-bearing (WB) and non-weight-bearing (NWB) groups. Results: Two weeks post-discharge, the NWB group sat significantly more than the WB group (median: 14.1 h/day vs. 13.3 h/day; p = 0.04). These differences were apparent for female and middle-aged participants. At 6 months, there were no significant differences between weight-bearing groups for sitting time, steps or MPA. Conclusion: Weight-bearing restriction had an early impact on sitting time, but this impact lessened over time. While considering the need for rest, advice about reducing sitting time may be particularly important for people who are NWB post-fracture.