[Gait analysis after minimally invasive total hip arthroplasty]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Clinical assessment of total hip arthroplasty (THA) outcomes can be subjective.
• Objective functional evaluation of gait is crucial for comparing surgical approaches.
• Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and conventional (KONV) approaches for THA have different potential impacts on gait.

Purpose of the Study:

• To objectively compare functional gait outcomes between MIS and KONV THA.
• To analyze kinematic, kinetic, and muscle activity parameters post-surgery.
• To determine if MIS offers superior long-term functional gait advantages over KONV.

Main Methods:

• Instrumented 3D gait analysis was used to assess kinematic and kinetic parameters.
• High-resolution surface electromyography (S-EMG) measured muscle activity.
• Patients undergoing MIS (anterolateral) and KONV (transgluteal) THA were compared at 5 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months post-surgery.

Main Results:

• Both MIS and KONV THA groups demonstrated significant gait parameter improvements over time.
• No significant differences in gait parameters were found between the MIS and KONV approaches at any time point.
• S-EMG revealed non-physiological muscle activation in both operated and non-operated limbs up to 6 months post-surgery.

Conclusions:

• While both THA approaches improve gait, no significant long-term functional differences were observed.
• MIS may offer advantages in early post-operative pain reduction and rehabilitation speed.
• Persistent muscle activation alterations suggest ongoing neuromuscular adaptation after THA.