title: A specific arm-interval exercise program could improve the health status and walking ability of elderly patients after total hip arthroplasty: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of an arm-interval exercise program for the upper limbs on health status and walking ability in elderly patients after total hip arthroplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled investigation. After surgery, a control group started a general rehabilitation program, and a training group combined it with an arm-interval exercise program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen patients (age 75.1 +/- 4.8 years) were randomly assigned to the control group (n = 7) and the training group (n = 7).
  
  
  METHODS
  A Western Ontario and MacMaster University (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index was completed and an incremental exercise test on an arm crank ergometer was also performed 1 month before (T(-1)) and 2 months after surgery (T2). Moreover, a 6-minute walk test was performed at T2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups significantly improved all dimensions of WOMAC, except in WOMAC physical function subscale in the control group. The training group covered a significantly longer distance in the walking test than the control group and also presented significantly higher VO2 peak value at T2. Correlation analyses indicate that VO2 peak value and the distance covered in the 6-minute walking test were significantly associated with functional status. After calculating the ratio distance covered/score at WOMAC physical function, we observed a significantly higher ratio value in the training group than in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preliminary results indicate that the improvement in physical fitness and functional status of the training group seems to be associated with better health status.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Sciences du Sport, Besançon, France. jemaire@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maire
authors.forename: Anne-Françoise
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Faillenet-Maire
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grange
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dugué
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tordi
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Parratte
authors.forename: Jean-Denis
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rouillon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001132:Arm; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016138:Walking