25th March 2026

Physiotherapy trial aims to speed up recovery and tackle cost of hip fractures

This article originally featured on Health and Care Research Wales.

Two health boards in Wales are taking part in a national physiotherapy research trial which aims to help hip fracture patients get home sooner and maintain their independence for longer.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board are participating in WHiTE 15 – Initiate, sponsored by the University of Oxford. Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor was the first Welsh hospital to recruit to the study, which is also being delivered at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and Royal Glamorgan Hospital.

Hip fractures are the most common serious injury in older adults, affecting more than 70,000 people each year. These injuries can have a life-changing impact on someone’s independence and mobility. Around 50% of people are unable to walk unaided following a first fracture and there is a one in three chance of sustaining another fracture within 12 months. This loss of mobility and independence contributes to one in five people dying within a year of a hip fracture.

Ongoing social care costs of more than £15,000 per patient contribute to an overall cost of over £2 billion in the UK.

It is hoped the findings will help shape future care for hip fracture patients, as well as lead to substantial cost savings.

Anne Stansfield, from Barmouth, took part in the study at Ysbyty Gwynedd after breaking her hip and shoulder in a fall at home. She praised the care she received and the focus on early movement. Anne said, “The physiotherapists and medical team have been fantastic and so effective. I really commend this trial and what it’s trying to achieve. Moving is so important — it really does help you get home quicker.”

As part of the study, Ysbyty Gwynedd recruited two additional physiotherapists who are directly involved in patient care. This enables rehabilitation to begin sooner, as well as helping educate patients, families and the wider multidisciplinary team (MDT) on the importance of early mobilisation.

Sion Quinn, Clinical Lead Physiotherapist at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said, “We feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to participate in this study which could genuinely improve outcomes for these patients. While the results are still being evaluated, we have seen some positive early feedback.

As part of the trial patients are offered an extra physiotherapy session for the first seven days following surgery, including a walk, tailored exercise regime and information leaflets and psychological support for them and their relatives. We then progress with short, supported walks as the patient is able. We are proud to be seeing 80% of patients on the same day as their surgery. This is also helping change the culture of the ward and the MDT, encouraging patients to be mobile and begin to regain confidence walking as soon as possible.”

John Rice is an Advanced Practitioner and Research Physiotherapist at Royal Glamorgan Hospital. John said, “How to deliver physiotherapy-led acute rehabilitation after surgery for hip fracture has been an important unanswered question for some time. Hip fracture can have a devastating impact, and improving rehabilitation following surgery has been identified as a research priority by NICE, as well as by patients, their families and carers.

“The Health Board is committed to embedding research in clinical practice and we are very pleased that our Research and Development team has been able to facilitate access to this study for our patients and contribute to its findings.”