Abstract
Gremeaux V, Renault J, Pardon L, Deley G, Lepers R, Casillas J-M. Low-frequency electric
muscle stimulation combined with physical therapy after total hip arthroplasty for
hip osteoarthritis in elderly patients: a randomized controlled trial.
Objective
To assess the effects of low-frequency electric muscle stimulation associated with
usual physiotherapy on functional outcome after total hip arthroplasty (THA) for hip
osteoarthritis (OA) in elderly subjects.
Design
Randomized controlled trial; pre- and posttreatment measurements.
Setting
Hospital rehabilitation department.
Participants
Subjects (N=29) referred to the rehabilitation department after THA for hip OA.
Interventions
The intervention group (n=16; 78±8y) received simultaneous low-frequency electric
muscle stimulation of bilateral quadriceps and calf muscles (highest tolerated intensity,
1h session, 5 d/wk, for 5 weeks) associated with conventional physical therapy including
resistance training. The control group (n=13; 76±10y) received conventional physical
therapy alone (25 sessions).
Main Outcome Measures
Maximal isometric strength of knee extensors, FIM instrument, before and after; a
six-minute walk test and a 200m fast walk test, after; length of stay (LOS).
Results
Low-frequency electric muscle stimulation was well tolerated. It resulted in a greater
improvement in strength of knee extensors on the operated side (77% vs 23%; P<.01), leading to a better balance of muscle strength between the operated and nonoperated
limb. The low-frequency electric muscle stimulation group also showed a greater improvement
in FIM scores, though improvements in the walk tests were similar for the 2 groups,
as was LOS.
Conclusions
Low-frequency electric muscle stimulation is a safe, well-tolerated therapy after
THA for hip OA. It improves knee extensor strength, which is one of the factors leading
to greater functional independence after THA.
Key Words
List of Abbreviations:
ANOVA (analysis of variance), LOS (length of stay), OA (osteoarthritis), PT (physical therapy), ROM (range of motion), 200mFWT (200-meter fast walk test), 6MWT (six-minute walk test), THA (total hip arthroplasty)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Footnotes
Supported by Dijon University Hospital and the Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique (grant no. DGS 2002/0093).
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.
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
