The holistic approach to rehabilitation of patients after total hip joint replacement

The objective of the present study was to present the principles of a program used jointly by the Clinic of Orthopaedics and Traumatology and the Clinic of Physical Medicine and Early Rehabilitation at St. George University Hospital, Plovdiv for rehabilitation of patients with total hip replacement surgery.

We reviewed 486 cases of endoprostheses implanted by two surgical teams in the Clinic of Orthopaedics and Traumatology over a period of 6 years. We lay the stress on the fact that early mobilization of patients (3 to 5 days after operation) results in better functional results. We particularly emphasize the necessity of using a comprehensive approach that can have an effect on the psychoemotional status and the motivation of patients.

The treatment results we evaluated by taking into account not only all functional parameters of restoring the range of hip joint motion but also the psychoemotional aspects of the recovery of patients after surgery. We took into consideration the range of motion of both the operated and the unoperated hip joints, the muscle strength, the walking distance, the type of gait, and the subjective evaluation of the patients (satisfied, not very satisfied, unsatisfied of operation). Particular attention was paid to the psychoemotional status of patients stimulating the positive feedback and their willingness to put in serious efforts toward improvement of their quality of life.

The new approach to rehabilitation of patients with total hip replacement focuses not only on the collaboration between orthopedists, traumatologists and physical therapeutists, but also on the integral effect both on the physical state of patients and on their psychoemotional status with the aim of improving their quality of life.