Influence of age on the outcome of rehabilitation after total hip replacement.

BACKGROUND: This publication compares the results of physiotherapy after total hip replacement in two groups, each consisting of 50 subjects, differing in age by 10 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 100 patients after total hip replacement was divided into two subgroups consisting of 50 subjects each, with mean age difference of 10 years. The first group included patients aged 47-60 years, the other 61-69 years. Patients were assessed at 6 weeks and reevaluated at 10 weeks after surgery during a 4-week in-hospital rehabilitation program. The study was based on a questionnaire, physical examination, 6-minute walking test and a test on stabilometric platform. RESULTS: In the younger group we observed easier and faster resolution of pain in the operated joint. In group II, which included patients aged 61 to 69 years, improvement in hip joint mobility was less pronounced than in the younger group. Six-minute walking test showed less improvement in walking distance in group II than group I. Among group II patients we noted less pronounced increase in weight bearing on the operated limb (by 2%, while 4% improvement was noted in group I), while final degree of weight-bearing was greater in group II than in group I and amounted to 48%. CONCLUSIONS: Younger patients recover faster, hip pain subsides easier, hip function returns more readily and to a greater extent. During a 4-week course of in-hospital rehabilitation older patients may regain hip function in a manner that brings them closer to the younger group.