Lower-extremity weight-bearing compliance is maintained over time after biofeedback training.

Previous studies have shown immediate compliance with weight-bearing instructions to be better after biofeedback training than after verbal or scale training. This study assessed retention of biofeedback training to determine potential clinical applicability. Twelve participants were enrolled in a prospective clinical study at an academic orthopedic center. Participants were trained with a biofeedback device to comply with touch-down weight-bearing instructions (25 lb). Immediately following the training session, weight bearing was assessed for each participant. The retention of this training was then reassessed at 2 to 4, 6 to 8, and 22 to 24 hours. Two control participants were given no biofeedback training (verbal instructions only) and were followed similarly. Following initial biofeedback training at 25 lb, participants bore an average of 20.4±2.12 lb. Retention tests during the 24-hour period showed no significant difference from the original testing, with 2- to 4-hour retention of 19.98±4.75 lb, 6- to 8-hour retention of 25.07±6.60 lb, and 22- to 24-hour retention of 21.75±4.58 lb. Participants who only received verbal instructions consistently bore several-fold greater weight than instructed. Biofeedback training has previously been shown to have a strong immediate effect on partial weight-bearing compliance. This study demonstrated that this effect lasts up to 24 hours. This maintained weight-bearing compliance after biofeedback training suggests that this method may be an effective way to train patients to comply with given instructions for limited weight bearing.