AposTherapy for patients following total hip arthroplasty
The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of a foot-worn biomechanical device on the clinical measurements and gait patterns of patients with total hip arthroplasty (THA).
Nineteen patients, up to 3 months post-THA, were enrolled to the study. Patients underwent a computerized gait analysis to calculate spatiotemporal parameters and completed the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index and the SF-36 health survey. Patients then began therapy with a noninvasive foot-worn biomechanical device coupled with a treatment methodology (AposTherapy). Patients received exercise guidelines and used the device daily during their regular activities at their own environment. Follow-up examinations were conducted after 4, 12, and 26 weeks of therapy. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to evaluate changes over time. The clinical significance of the treatment effect was evaluated by computing the Cohen’s effect sizes (ES statistic).
Conclusions: Patients following THA demonstrated a significant improvement in gait parameters and in selfassessment evaluations of pain, function, and quality of life. We recommend further RCTs to examine the effect of this therapy compared to other rehabilitation modalities following THA and compared to healthy matched controls.
Amit Mor, and Avi Elbaz: A non-invasive biomechanical device and treatment for patients following total hip arthroplasty: results of a 6-month pilot investigation. Segal et al.
http://www.josr-online.com/content/8/1/13