title: Walking efficiency before and after total hip replacement as determined by oxygen consumption.
abstract: Seventy-seven patients receiving either unilateral or bilateral total hip replacement were studied before and for as long as four years after operation. Their walking velocity and efficiency (the latter determined by measuring oxygen consumption) improved after operation. Total hip replacement allowed relatively equal postoperative efficiency and velocity for patients with unilateral and bilateral disease. While no consistent relationships were found between the components of the Iowa hip-rating scale, significant correlations were found between the composite Iowa hip-rating score and oxygen consumption. Data indicate that measurement of self-selected velocity in patients with hip disease is a satisfactory indicator of walking efficiency.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011184:Postoperative Period