title: Effectiveness of balance exercises in the acute post-operative phase following total hip and knee arthroplasty: A randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effectiveness of balance exercises in the acute post-operative phase following total hip arthroplasty or total knee arthroplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who had total hip arthroplasty (n = 30) or total knee arthroplasty (n = 33) were seen in their residence 1-2 times per week for 5 weeks. At the first post-operative home visit, patients were randomly assigned to either typical (TE, n = 33) or typical plus balance (TE + B, n = 30) exercise groups. The TE group completed seven typical surgery-specific joint range-of-motion and muscle strengthening exercises, while the TE + B group completed the typical exercises plus three balance exercises. Patients were assessed before and 5 weeks after administering the rehabilitation program using four outcome measures: (1) the Berg Balance Scale, (2) the Timed Up and Go test, (3) the Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, and (4) the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Post-intervention scores for all four outcome measures were significantly improved (p < 0.01) over baseline scores. Patients who participated in the TE + B group demonstrated significantly greater improvement on the Berg Balance Scale and the Timed Up and Go tests (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Balance exercises added to a typical rehabilitation program resulted in significantly greater improvements in balance and functional mobility compared to typical exercises alone.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jogi
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Tom J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Overend
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Sandi J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Spaulding
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zecevic
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Kramer
keywords: Berg Balance Scale; Timed Up and Go test; Total hip arthroplasty; balance exercises; total knee arthroplasty