Influence of a 6-week arm exercise program on walking ability and health status after hip arthroplasty: a 1-year follow-up pilot study.

The influence of an upper-limb interval-training program after total hip arthroplasty (THA) in elderly patients was studied during a 1 yr follow-up on health status and walking ability. After surgery, 14 patients were randomly assigned to the control group that started a 6 wk general rehabilitation program or the training group that combined it with an interval exercise program on an arm ergometer. A Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index was completed 1 mo before and 2 mo and 1 yr after surgery. A 6 min walking test was performed at 2 mo and 1 yr after surgery. The training group covered a significantly longer distance than the control group in the 6 min walk test and obtained significantly lower WOMAC scores both at 2 mo and 1 yr after surgery. However, both groups significantly improved in WOMAC and in their performance during the survey. Endurance-type upper-body aerobic training in a rehabilitation program might be important after THA.