Effects of Anti-Gravity Treadmill Training on Functional Outcomes After Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Abstract

Objective: Total hip arthroplasty is one of the most common orthopedic procedures. When the surgery is successful and followed by high-quality physiotherapy, the patients' quality of life usually improves. This randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the impact of anti-gravity treadmills on functional outcomes after total hip arthroplasty.

Materials and methods: The trial was conducted at the Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation of Heart, Lung, and Rheumatic Diseases Thalassotherapia Opatija. The sample consisted of patients admitted for inpatient rehabilitation three months after total hip arthroplasty. A total of 34 subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group (N=18) and a control group (N=16). The outcome measures included abductor muscle strength, range of motion, numeric pain rating scale, Timed Up and Go test, and 40-meter Fast-Paced Walk test.

Results: A statistically significant between-group difference was observed only for hip abduction range of motion, favoring the experimental group (P=0.044). The other measured variables did not show any statistically significant intergroup differences.

Conclusions: Anti-gravity treadmill training improved hip abduction range of motion but did not demonstrate superiority over conventional rehabilitation in the other assessed functional outcomes.