title: The effectiveness of supplementary arm and upper body exercises following total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis in the elderly: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether arm and upper body exercises in addition to the standard rehabilitation programme improve outcomes after hip arthroplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, parallel, randomized, controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Orthopaedic and rehabilitation departments.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 70 patients >60 years of age, who underwent hip replacement, out of 98 eligible candidates after exclusion criteria were implemented.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group took part in the supplementary arm and upper body exercise programme to be compared with the standard rehabilitation programme group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary outcome was a Harris Hip Score. Secondary outcomes were: Hand grip strength and Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Outcomes were assessed preoperatively, two weeks after surgery and at 12 weeks follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the intervention group, significant improvements were found: in functional ability - Harris Hip Score after two (mean difference = 4.7 points) and 12 (mean difference = 5.85 points) weeks; in muscle strength - handgrip for both hands (mean difference for dominant hand = 4.16 and for the other hand = 2.8) after 12 weeks; and in role-physical dimension SF-36 Health Survey (mean difference = 6.42 points) after 12 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this study indicate that arm and upper body exercises in addition to the standard rehabilitation programme improve outcomes 12 weeks after hip arthroplasty.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, "Zvezdara" University Hospital, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dragica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mitrovic
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Mladen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davidovic
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.|3 Clinical Department of Geriatrics, "Zvezdara" University Hospital, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Predrag
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Erceg
authors.affiliation: 4 Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marinkovic
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000379:methods / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D055070:Resistance Training / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Hip arthroplasty; arm exercises; randomized trial; rehabilitation