[Effects of joint replacement on spinal movement]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Science

Context:

• Joint replacement surgery, such as total hip and knee replacement, significantly impacts patient mobility.
• While rehabilitation improves gait parameters, residual gait deficits and compensatory movement strategies persist post-therapy.
• Spinal movement alterations are suspected but not fully characterized in patients after joint replacement.

Purpose:

• To dynamically analyze spinal movement in patients following total hip and knee replacement.
• To identify and compare abnormal spinal movement patterns in these patients against a healthy reference group.
• To understand the relationship between gait abnormalities and spinal kinematics after joint replacement surgery.

Summary:

• 3D gait and 4D spinal analyses were conducted pre- and post-rehabilitation.
• Patients displayed significant abnormalities across all three spinal movement dimensions.
• Observed deviations included increased trunk forward tilt, lordosis, lateral tilt towards the operative side, and altered pelvic rotation.

Impact:

• Findings highlight that current rehabilitation protocols may not fully address biomechanical compensation involving the spine.
• Therapeutic strategies post-total hip and knee replacement should incorporate adjacent joint (spinal) rehabilitation.
• Addressing spinal kinematics may prevent secondary complications and improve long-term functional outcomes for joint replacement patients.