Postoperative gait parameters in hip resurfacing compared to total hip arthroplasty: a systematic review

In the past decade, an increasing number of younger, active patients, including athletes, sought hip resurfacing (HR) arthroplasties. Some literature has suggested that hip resurfacing may allow faster recovery, better postoperative range of motion, and reduced risk for dislocation compared to total hip arthroplasty (THA). The purpose of the present systematic review was to study the variations in postoperative gait parameters among patients with hip osteoarthritis who have undergone hip resurfacing or THA.

According to the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), a literature search was conducted in October 2022 for "hip resurfacing" OR "hip arthroplasty" AND "gait".

8 studies with 206 patients (273 hips) were included in the analysis. The mean age of patients ranged from 44.4 to 67 years. On average of all studies, 54.3% of the patients were male and 45.7% female. Among all patients undergoing HR and THA, there were comparable numbers of males in each group (range 58.3-82.1% and 60.0-88.9%, respectively). 6 studies indicated that hip resurfacing patients reached a greater average walking speed, average stride lengths, stance times, and ability to perform uphill walking. 3 studies showed similar outcomes in flat surface walking between hip resurfacing and total hip arthroplasty patients.

Little data are available to compare gait parameters in HR and THA. Some studies suggest that HR might have advantages in the gait and walking parameters like a greater average walking speed, average stride lengths, stance times, and ability to perform uphill walking, energy expenditure and better peak extension moment.