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Physical functioning four years after total hip and knee arthroplasty.
M M Vissers1, J B Bussmann, I B de Groot
1Department of Orthopaedics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Gait & Posture
|July 9, 2013
Summary
Four years after hip or knee replacement surgery, patients reported improved physical functioning but did not increase their daily activity levels. Recovery in daily activity did not significantly improve compared to 6 months post-surgery.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Gerontology
Background:
- Previous studies indicated improved daily activity perception 6 months after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but not actual activity levels.
- A short follow-up period may explain discrepancies in functional recovery after THA/TKA.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess physical functioning recovery nearly 4 years after THA/TKA.
- To determine if actual daily activity levels increased 4 years post-surgery compared to 6 months post-surgery.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study comparing 4-year follow-up data with preoperative and 6-month postoperative data.
- 44 patients (23 THA, 21 TKA) who participated in a previous study were re-evaluated.
- Analysis focused on perceived physical functioning, functional capacity, performance, and daily activity levels.
Main Results:
- Patients reported continued improvement in perceived physical functioning, capacity, and performance of daily activities at 4 years.
- Actual daily activity levels at 4 years (128 min/24h) were lower than at 6 months post-surgery (138 min/24h), though not statistically significant (p=0.48).
- The study population did not adopt a more active lifestyle 4 years after THA/TKA.
Conclusions:
- Long-term recovery after THA/TKA shows sustained improvements in perceived functioning and performance.
- Despite functional gains, patients undergoing THA/TKA do not significantly increase their overall daily physical activity levels even 4 years post-surgery.
- Further interventions may be needed to promote increased physical activity in patients after joint replacement surgery.
