No improved mobility through hip replacement

Patients are not really more mobile after hip replacement surgery
Many sufferers expect that they will become more mobile and flexible after a hip operation. Researchers now found that, surprisingly, post-surgery hip replacement surgery does not actually increase physical activity.

The University of East Anglia (UEA) scientists concluded that surgery for hip replacement does not result in increased mobility. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Clinical Rehabilitation".

When people have hip pain, they often suffer from the mobility and physical activity of those affected. If such people then receive surgery to replace their hip joint, this should lead to increased physical activity. Physicians found out, however, that such an increase is not observed. (Image: Bergringfoto / fotolia.com)

Are operations for hip replacement ever useful?
Hip replacement surgery is widespread today. In the UK alone, more than 620,000 operations were performed between 2003 and 2013, the experts report in a press release on the latest study results. The most common cause of such surgery is osteoarthritis (93 percent). The results of the new study, however, completely question the purpose of such operations.

Study examines differences in physical activity
This new study is the first systematic review designed specifically for the differences in physical activity, explain the physicians. The scientists tried to find out if the physical activity of those affected increased after such an operation.

Results of the study surprised the doctors
The most common reason for a hip prosthesis is that patients want to reduce their pain when moving. Physicians and sufferers have so far expected that the physical activity would increase after such an operation. So the results of the study were quite surprising, explains Tom Withers of the University of East Anglia School of Health Sciences.

Examination includes more than 1,000 subjects
The physicians analyzed the data from approximately 1,030 patients who had previously received a hip replacement surgery. The experts looked for indicators of physical activity after surgery. For example, care was taken to see whether patients travel more distances on foot, walk faster, more cycling or climbing stairs, the researchers explain.

No evidence of change in physical activity was found after surgery
However, we found no clear evidence of change in physical activity after surgery, adds Tom Withers. The benefits of regular physical activity after a hip prosthesis are known. However, the study indicates that after such an operation, patients need more support to become physically more active, the doctors say.

Further research on this topic is urgently needed
The lack of a significant difference in physical activity following hip replacement surgery suggests that there is a great need for further investigation, say the authors. Health experts and researchers need to better understand the lack of change after such an operation to increase exposure to post-operative physical activity, the British researchers concluded. (As)