Recovery after total hip joint arthroplasty in elderly patients with osteoarthritis: positive effect of upper limb interval-training.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of an interval training program for the upper limbs on cardiorespiratory fitness and walking ability in elderly patients after total hip joint arthroplasty.


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial. After surgery, control and training groups started general rehabilitation. Training group combined it with an arm-interval exercise program (3 sessions of 30 minutes per week, for 6 weeks).


METHODS
Patients were assigned randomly to control (n = 7) and training groups (n = 7).


METHODS
Incremental exercise tests were carried out until exhaustion on an arm crank ergometer 1 month before and 2 months after surgery. A 6-minute walk test was also performed 2 months after surgery.


RESULTS
VO2 peak increased significantly in the training group (p = 0.0424) and did not change in the control group. The difference in VO2 peak change between the groups was significant (p = 0.0362, +19.2% in the training group and -3.5% in the control group). In the walking test the training group covered a significantly longer distance than did the control group (p = 0.0055, 396.4 metres and 268.1 metres, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
These results stress the importance of physical training in a rehabilitation program after total hip joint arthroplasty and this should be considered for improving the current practices in rehabilitation.
Maire
Jérôme
J
Laboratoire des Sciences du Sport, UFRSTAPS, Bâtiment Bichat, Besançon, France. jemaire@hotmail.com
Dugué
Benoit
B
Faillenet-Maire
Anne-Françoise
AF
Tordi
Nicolas
N
Parratte
Bernard
B
Smolander
Juhani
J
Rouillon
Jean-Denis
JD
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D034941:Upper Extremity