Gait kinetics of total hip replacement patients-A large scale, long-term follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: It is not known if lower limb gait kinetics of total hip replacement (THR) patients reach normal levels at long term follow-up post-operatively.

METHODS: Three-dimensional gait analysis was performed on 134 THR patients with identical implants 10-years post-operatively. Lower limb moments and powers were compared between different age strata (54-64 years, 65-69 years, 70-74 years, 75-79 years and over 80 years) and a normal elderly control group.

RESULTS: Hip extensor moment and hip power generation were significantly reduced in all age groups compared to normal. External hip rotation moment was significantly reduced in all age groups, apart from the youngest group, compared to normal. However, in contrast to previous short term follow-up studies there was no significant difference in hip abduction moment between any of the age groups and the normal group.

CONCLUSION: This large cohort study shows that, at long term follow-up following THR, some hip joint kinetics (hip extensor and external rotation moments and hip power generation) do not reach normal levels, but that peak abduction moment is preserved. THR patients recovery could potentially benefit from intensive rehabilitation focusing on hip extension and external rotation in the post-operative, and perhaps preoperative, period.