Impact of total hip arthroplasty on pain, walking ability, and cardiovascular fitness.
We tested the hypothesis that total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients have less pain and are able to walk longer post-operatively than pre-operatively, and that THA patients before and after have higher heart rates and compromised gas exchange determinants at rest and following exercise compared to healthy subjects with a post-operative improvement. Fifty-two patients completed questionnaires and an incremental walking stress test pre-operatively and 6-months after THA. Twenty-four age-matched control subjects completed the same stress test. Fifty-one patients had less pain 6-months after THA compared to pre-operative levels. Forty-three patients showed an improvement of at least one walking duration category. Patients had compromised cardiovascular fitness compared to the control group with a tendency to improve after THA. Hence, 6-months following THA, deficits exist other than reduced strength as reported in the literature. Prior to THA, the ability to walk longer is compromised by pain and not by poor cardiovascular fitness. Studies on specific rehabilitation programs of varying intensities may demonstrate opportunities to improve the cardiovascular fitness of this population.
Medical Park Bad Wiessee St. Hubertus, Bad Wiessee, Germany. t.horstmann@medicalpark.de
Thomas
T
Horstmann
Sandra
S
Vornholt-Koch
Torsten
T
Brauner
Stefan
S
Grau
Annegret
A
Mündermann
D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002319:Cardiovascular System; D015444:Exercise; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000628:therapy; D010146:Pain; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012046:Rehabilitation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013147:Spirometry / Q000379:methods; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*