Do activity levels increase after total hip and knee arthroplasty?

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Osteoarthritis (OA) frequently leads to physical inactivity.
• Total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) significantly alleviate pain and enhance function and quality of life.
• The effect of THA and TKA on physical activity levels remains uncertain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To objectively measure physical activity levels before and 6 months after arthroplasty using accelerometers.
• To determine the proportion of patients meeting the American Physical Activity Guidelines post-surgery.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-three patients with hip or knee OA awaiting arthroplasty were enrolled.
• Physical activity was monitored using ActiGraph GT1M accelerometers pre- and post-surgery.
• Patient-reported outcomes (pain, function, quality of life, physical activity) were assessed via questionnaires. Data from 44 participants were analyzed.

Main Results:

• No significant change in objectively measured physical activity was observed after arthroplasty.
• Most participants remained sedentary both pre- and post-surgery, failing to meet physical activity guidelines.
• Despite these findings, patients reported significant improvements in pain, function, quality of life, and physical activity.

Conclusions:

• Objectively measured physical activity may not improve following arthroplasty, despite subjective patient-reported gains.
• Clinicians should implement strategies to enhance physical activity in post-arthroplasty patients to optimize health outcomes.
• Further research is necessary to identify factors influencing physical activity in this population.