Poster Presentation Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

Analgesic use, pain and mobility following low-trauma hip fracture: An observational study (#290)

Thuy Anh Bui 1 2 , Justine Naylor 1 2 , Danielle Ní Chróinín 3 , Jonathan Penm 4 , Seema Padmakumari Radhakrishnan 5 , Carlos El-Haddad 6 , Lynette McEvoy 2
  1. Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
  2. Orthopaedics, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  3. Geriatric Medicine, LIverpool Hospital , Sydney, NSW, Australia
  4. University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  5. Fairfield Hospital , Sydney, NSW, Australia
  6. Rheumatology, Liverpool Hospital , Sydney, NSW , Australia

Aims
To describe patterns of analgesic use, pain, and mobility following low-trauma hip fracture in older adults across acute and subacute care pathways, including differences by discharge destination and recovery trajectory.

Methods
Observational analysis of older inpatients with low-trauma hip fracture, grouped by acute discharge destination: direct discharge home (DHD), discharge to subacute care prior to home (SDF), or discharge back to residential aged care (RACF). Outcomes included length of stay, mobilisation, analgesic use, pain scores, and pain-related mobility limitation.

Results
The cohort included 200 patients (DHD n=81, SDF n=82, RACF n=37). Median acute length of stay was 11.0 [7.0–19.0], 13.0 [10.0–17.0], and 8.5 [6.25–14.5] days, with total stays of 11.0 [7.0–20.0], 45.0 [28.0–60.5], and 9.0 [6.25–14.5] days, respectively. Postoperative day 1 mobilisation occurred in 58% of DHD, 34% of SDF, and 24% of RACF patients, with delayed mobilisation (day ≥3) in up to 62% of RACF residents. Median total mobility occasions were 6.0 [3.0–10.0], 9.0 [5.0–14.0], and 1.0 [0.0–4.0]. Median total inpatient opioid exposure was 63.75 MME [22.50–209.06], 106.25 MME [42.50–270.00], and 33.75 MME [13.12–56.25], with discharge prescriptions in 66.7–85.4% of patients. Paracetamol use was consistent, NSAID use infrequent (≤12.2%), and pain often limited mobilisation despite generally low to moderate scores.

Conclusions
Analgesic use and mobility vary across care pathways. Extended subacute care involves longer hospital stays and higher cumulative opioid exposure, emphasising important opportunities to optimise analgesia, improve functional recovery, and support overall patient outcomes.