Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 90, Issue 10 , Pages 1652-1657, October 2009

Effect of Multiple Physiotherapy Sessions on Functional Outcomes in the Initial Postoperative Period After Primary Total Hip Replacement: A Randomized Controlled Trial

  • Kellie A. Stockton, BAppSc Physio, Grad Dip Physio

      Affiliations

    • Physiotherapy Department, Wesley Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
    • Arthritis Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests to Kellie A. Stockton, BAppSc Physio, Grad Dip Physio, Arthritis Queensland, PO Box 2121, Windsor, Queensland 4030, Australia
    • ,
  • Kerrie A. Mengersen, PhD

      Affiliations

    • School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Abstract 

Stockton KA, Mengersen KA. Effect of multiple physiotherapy sessions on functional outcomes in the initial postoperative period after primary total hip replacement: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective

To determine whether increasing physiotherapy input from once to twice per day will result in earlier achievement of functional milestones (ie, independence in mobility and transfers) and decreased length of stay (LOS) in patients undergoing a primary total hip replacement.

Design

Randomized controlled trial.

Setting

Metropolitan private hospital.

Participants

Patients (N=57) with primary total hip replacement were randomly assigned to the twice daily (treatment, n=30) and once daily (control, n=27) groups. Patients who chose to attend hydrotherapy were excluded from the randomization process; however, they gave consent for outcome measures to be collected for comparison with the randomized groups.

Interventions

The control group received usual care, and the treatment group received twice-daily physiotherapy from day 1 after surgery to discharge.

Main Outcome Measures

The Iowa Level of Assistance at postoperative days 3 and 6 and LOS.

Results

This study demonstrates that patients who received twice-daily land-based physiotherapy after primary total hip replacement attained earlier achievement of functional milestones than patients that received once-daily physiotherapy. A statistically significant (P=.041) but not clinically significant difference was evident in the Iowa Level of Assistance score at day 3. There was no difference between the groups in Iowa Level of Assistance measures on day 6 or on LOS.

Conclusions

Patients who received twice-daily physiotherapy showed a trend toward earlier achievement of functional milestones; however, this finding did not translate to decreased LOS.

Key Words: Arthroplasty, Exercise, Hip, Rehabilitation

List of Abbreviations: LOS, length of stay, THR, total hip replacement

 

 Supported by the Wesley Research Institute (grant no. 2006/14) and ARC Linkage Project (grant no. LP0669670).

 No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.

PII: S0003-9993(09)00377-3

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2009.04.012

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 90, Issue 10 , Pages 1652-1657, October 2009

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution