Assessing advanced locomotor recovery after total hip arthroplasty with the timed stair test.
OBJECTIVE
To assess advanced locomotor performance with the timed stair test (TST) and to determine if the level of performance of a group of women one year after hip replacement changed with the functional demands of the tasks.


METHODS
Comparison of the performance of two groups of women.


METHODS
General community.


METHODS
A convenient sample including 18 women who had had a total hip replacement 11 months earlier (patients) and 15 healthy age-matched women (comparison group).


METHODS
Three tests were administered: the 10-m walk test, the unloaded TST and the loaded TST (10 kg). The duration of each test was recorded and transformed into speed and the level of performance was assessed by calculating percentage deficit using corresponding values from the comparison group. The TST is made of four subtasks: (1) standing up and walking, (2) ascending stairs, (3) turning and descending stairs, (4) walking back, turning and sitting down.


RESULTS
Significant differences in performance were found for all three tests with the patients showing a slower performance. The percentage deficits increased significantly from the less difficult (walking: 18%) to the more difficult conditions (unloaded TST: 23% and loaded TST: 28%), with the greatest deficits found during stair descent. Strong correlations were also found between walking deficits and TST deficits (loaded: r = 0.82; unloaded: r = 0.88).


CONCLUSIONS
By combining mobility, walking and stair activities, the TST can be used to assess various components of advanced locomotor performance. The progressive level of difficulty of the TST subtasks as well as the addition of a load make it useful to detect subtle locomotor disabilities.
Perron
Marc
M
Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Canada.
Malouin
Francine
F
Moffet
Hélène
H
D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology