Objective: To study the relationship between balance confidence, a concept closely related to fear of falling, mobility and balance performance, and perceived mobility limitation in older people after a fall-related hip fracture.

Design: Cross-sectional analyses of pretrial data of 2 randomized controlled trials of physical rehabilitation.

Setting: University research center.

Participants: Community-dwelling people aged over 60 years, 6 weeks to 7.5 years after a fall-related hip fracture (N=130).

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures:

The main outcome was the self-reported Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale score. Assessments also included perceived ability to walk outdoors or climb 1 flight of stairs, and assessments of self-preferred walking speed, modified Timed-Up-and-Go test, and Berg Balance Scale.

Results:

Higher ABC scale scores were related to better mobility and balance performance (ρ>.47) and perceived mobility function (ρ>.54). In univariate general linear models, all associations also remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, time since fracture, number of chronic diseases, and either level of physical activity or muscle strength of the fractured leg. An ABC scale score <85 points identified those with mobility and balance limitation across measures.

Conclusions:

In people who have had a fall-related hip fracture, an independent relationship exists between balance confidence and mobility and balance performance as well as perceived mobility function. Since lack of balance confidence may compromise rehabilitation and recovery, the ABC scale may help to identify older hip fracture patients with mobility and balance limitation.