Results from a recent multi-center, randomized, controlled trial demonstrate that testosterone gel does not improve physical function compared to exercise alone in older women recovering from a hip fracture. The STEP-HI study was published in JAMA Open and is the largest such study of testosterone administration to women following a fracture of the hip.
Hip fractures are the most serious type of osteoporotic fracture, as they are accompanied by considerable pain, loss of muscular and bone strength, reduced mobility and independence with daily activities, and increased risk for future fractures and death. After a hip fracture patients undergo surgery to repair the broken bone followed by a period of rehabilitation. Even after standard rehabilitation, many patients do not recover to their level of mobility and function before the fracture. The STEP-HI study focused on interventions intended to improve outcomes after standard therapy was completed.
The study, "Effects of Exercise Training and Testosterone Therapy in Older Women after Hip Fracture: A Randomized Clinical Trial," provides valuable information that discourages adding low dose testosterone to exercise in women recovering from a hip fracture. Testosterone is a hormone present in all women that declines with age. It has effects on muscle that were hypothesized to augment the benefits of exercise during the recovery period.
