PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY: COMPARING THE DIRECT ANTERIOR APPROACH WITH THE DIRECT LATERAL APPROACH

Introduction Early functional recovery following total hip arthroplasty (THA) has the potential to increase patient satisfaction and reduce resource utilization. The direct anterior approach (DA) has been shown to provide earlier recovery compared to the direct lateral (DL) approach based on functional tests and outcome scores. There are limited studies that objectively evaluate functional recovery comparing the two approaches in the early post-operative period. Activity trackers have emerged as a valid tool to objectively quantify physical activity levels and potentially better assess functional status compared to commonly reported functional questionnaires. The purpose of this study is to measure physical activity levels in patients undergoing THA with the DA approach and compare these to THA with the direct lateral approach in the immediate postoperative period. Methods In a tertiary academic center we prospectively enrolled patients with primary OA that were eligible for a primary THA undergoing eithe...