Hip injury patients to walk out of Canberra Hospital quicker after treatment extension

That all changed while she was cleaning her home on January 19.

"I was washing the floors, like I do every week, and I guess I walked on an area that was wet. My legs went from under me and I went down on my hip," she said.

The Holt resident was rushed to hospital and was in surgery the next day, after being diagnosed with a broken hip.

While the surgery was a success, the hard part was yet to come, with Mrs McIllhatton having to immediately go into several rounds of physiotherapy.

"The physio was so important through because you don't feel like getting up, all you want to do is to stay in bed," she said.

After going through several rounds of exercises such as walking up stairs Mrs McIllhatton was discharged from hospital after just six days.

Quick discharges from Canberra's hospitals following hip fractures could become more common, with physiotherapy treatment recently being extended from weekdays to seven days a week.

Senior physiotherpaist at The Canberra Hospital, Corinne Coulter, said while the service offered to patients with hip injuries would remain the same, the frequency had changed in order to get people back on their feet quicker post-operation.

"Staying in bed has all sorts of risks and hazards post-operation, and the longer people rest in in bed, there are muscle concerns as well," Dr Coulter said.

"By getting them up and moving as soon as possible, it hopefully helps to ensure that those things don't happen."

The extension of the physiotherapy at the hospital has been under way for the past three months and data shows patients are being discharged quicker after suffering hip-related injuries.

The data also shows patients are accessing physical rehab services in the community more, rather than remaining in hospital.

On average, there are more than 300 cases of hip fractures presented to Canberra Hospital every year, among more than 19,000 in Australia.

Dr Coulter said the extension of the physio treatment to across the week would allow for patients to begin rehab sooner than normal.

"If patients are quite early in their stay, that's the part when it's most difficult to get moving," she said.

"Having someone come in every day has been beneficial."

Mrs McIllhattonhas been receiving physio treatment every fortnight at a nearby clinic, and has progressed to using a cane while walking.

"Most definitely my floor-washing days are over," she said.

"You do have to be a bit more careful when you get older, and more aware."