Effects of a late-phase exercise program after total hip arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of a late-phase exercise program for patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA) 4 to 12 months earlier.

DESIGN

A single-blind, randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

Exercises were performed in subjects' homes. Exercise instruction and measurements taken before and after the trial were performed in an outpatient research and treatment center.

PARTICIPANTS

Convenience sample of 34 adults 4 to 12 months post-THA randomly allocated to experimental or control groups. Twenty-eight subjects completed the study.

INTERVENTION

An 8-week, hip-exercise intervention, during which the control group received basic isometric and active range of motion exercises; the experimental group received strength and postural stability exercises.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Score on the 12-Item Hip Questionnaire; fear of falling; hip flexor, extensor, abductor, and knee extensor muscle torque; and postural stability in single stance.

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant improvement in all measures of self-perceived function, muscle strength (hip flexors, 24.4%; hip extensors, 47.8%; hip abductors, 41.2%; knee extensors, 23.4%), and postural stability (36.8%) in the experimental group and no significant change in the control group. Neither group had statistically significant changes in fear of falling measures.

CONCLUSIONS

An exercise program emphasizing weight bearing and postural stability significantly improved muscle strength, postural stability, and self-perceived function in patients 4 to 12 months after THA.