Walking Skills Program Improves Physical Function Following Hip Replacment Surgery

Patients who receive walking skills training following total hip arthroplasty for osteoporosis demonstrate improved physical function, researchers in Norway report. The physical therapy program used in the study displayed a positive effect on walking distance and stair climbing which continued 12 months after hip replacement surgery. Previously, pain relief, a return to daily functioning, and maintaining an active lifestyle were recommended for hip replacement patients. However, several studies show that patients with hip replacement have more walking impairment compared to healthy peers, along with poorer hip flexibility and muscle strength in their affected hip. In this study, participants undergoing total hip arthroplasty at two hospitals in the Oslo, Norway, area engaged in a training program aimed to improve flexibility, strength, coordination, balance, and walking endurance following surgery. Results show that the participants displayed significant improvement in physical performance measures.

Link to the article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215095231.htm