Researchers recently studied whether a postsurgery exercise program for people who had undergone total hip arthroplasty had any effect on functional recovery. Helen J. Gilbey, PhD, and colleagues from Western Australia published their findings in a recent issue of the Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research journal.

They applied an eight-week customized exercise program to patients (Group E) scheduled for total hip arthroplasty, followed by a postsurgery exercise program. Researchers compared their functional ability to control patients (Group C) who received no additional exercise apart from routine in-hospital physical therapy. All of the participants (a total of 57 people) completed strength, range of motion, and physical function tests at Week 8 and Week 1 before surgery and at Weeks 3, 12, and 24 postoperatively.

No differences were observed between the exercise and control groups at the beginning of the study.

But by Week 1 before surgery, patients in Group E had shown significant improvements in stiffness, physical function components, and combined hip strength. Patients in Group E also had improved hip flexion range of motion in the diseased hip compared to group C.

Significant differences between Group E and Group C were observed throughout the postoperative phase from Weeks 3 to 24.

In conclusion, the researchers found that customized perioperative exercise programs are well tolerated by patients with end-stage hip arthritis, and are effective in improving early recovery of physical function after total hip arthroplasty.