orthopedics Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternatively spelt orthopaedics), is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...

, weight-bearing is the amount of

weight In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force acting on the object due to gravity. Some standard textbooks define weight as a vector quantity, the gravitational force acting on the object. Others define weight as a scalar qua ...

a patient puts on an injured body part. Generally, it refers to a leg, ankle or foot that has been fractured or upon which surgery has been performed, but the term can also be used to refer to resting on an arm or a wrist. In general, it is described as a percentage of the body weight, because each leg of a healthy person carries the full body weight when walking, in an alternating fashion. After surgery of the hip, or of the bones of the leg, ankle, or foot, it is of the utmost importance for recovery to get the right amount of weight-bearing when moving around with crutches or frames. The grades of weight bearing for each phase of recovery will be determined by the surgeon. The Anti-Gravity Treadmill can allow testing of weight bearing by lowering effective body weight in 1% increments from 100 to 20% of body weight.{{citation needed, date=February 2022

Grades

* ''Non-weight-bearing'' (NWB): The leg must not touch the floor and is not permitted to support any weight at all. The patient may hop on the other leg or use

crutch A crutch is a mobility aid that transfers weight from the legs to the upper body. It is often used by people who cannot use their legs to support their weight, for reasons ranging from short-term injuries to lifelong disabilities. History Crutc ...

es or other devices for mobility. In this grade, 0% of the body weight may be rested on the leg. * ''Touch-down weight-bearing'' or ''Toe-touch weight-bearing:'' The foot or toes may touch the floor (such as to maintain balance), but not support any weight. Do not place actual weight on the affected leg. Imagine having an egg underfoot that one is not to crush. * ''Partial weight-bearing:'' A small amount of weight may be supported by the affected leg. The weight may be gradually increased up to 50% of the body weight, which would permit the affected person to stand with his body weight evenly supported by both feet (but not to walk). * ''Weight-bearing as tolerated:'' Usually assigned to people that can support from 50 to 100% of the body weight on the affected leg, the affected person independently chooses the weight supported by the extremity. The amount tolerated may vary according to the circumstances. * ''Full weight-bearing:'' The leg can now carry 100% of the body weight, which permits normal walking.

References

Pierson, F. Principles and Techniques of Patient Care, Third Edition, p.208, WB Saunders Company, 2002. Orthopedic surgical procedures Physical therapy