Acute and Subacute Changes in Dynamic Postural Control After Hip Arthroscopy and Postoperative Rehabilitation

Hip pain is associated with impairments in postural control and balance. The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) is a reliable and valid method for measuring dynamic postural control.

To examine changes in dynamic postural control after hip arthroscopy and subsequent rehabilitation from baseline to 3 and 6 months postsurgery.

Case series.

Physiotherapy department.

Sixty-seven individuals (47 men, 20 women; age = 31 ± 8 years, height = 1.78 ± 0.09 m, mass = 83 ± 15 kg) scheduled for hip arthroscopy to address chondrolabral conditions were matched with 67 healthy individuals serving as controls (47 men, 20 women; age = 31 ± 8 years, height = 1.77 ± 0.09 m, mass = 80 ± 16 kg). The hip arthroscopy group underwent postoperative rehabilitation including SEBT training.

The SEBT reach normalized to limb length was collected before surgery (baseline) and at 3 and 6 months after arthroscopy and compared with that of the healthy matched control group. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate whether SEBT reach differed among the 3 time points, and t tests were used to evaluate between-limbs and between-groups differences.

The SEBT reach in the hip arthroscopy group at baseline was less than that of the control group in all directions (P values < .001). At 3 months after arthroscopy, SEBT reach increased in the posteromedial (PM; P = .007), posterolateral (PL; P < .001), and anterolateral (AL; P < .001) directions from baseline. At 6 months after arthroscopy, all directions of reach had increased (P values < .001) from baseline. The anteromedial (mean difference [MD] = -2.9%, P = .02), PM (MD = -5.2%, P = .002), and AL (MD = -2.5%, P = .04) reach distances remained shorter at 6 months after surgery in the hip arthroscopy group than in the control group. No difference existed between the control and hip arthroscopy groups for reach in the PL direction (MD = -3.6%; P = .06).

Dynamic balance control in the hip arthroscopy group at baseline was poorer than in a matched control group as measured using the SEBT. At 3 months after hip arthroscopy, we observed improvements in dynamic balance in the PM, PL, and AL SEBT directions. By 6 months after arthroscopy, all directions of SEBT reach had improved, but only the PL reach improved to the level of healthy control individuals.