Exercise prior to hip and knee replacement reduces need for inpatient reha...( Osteoarthritis is increasingly common ...),Health

Osteoarthritis is increasingly common among aging Americans and is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. Exercise is often used in treating osteoarthritis and is an important part in rehabilitation following joint replacement. The level of function prior to knee and hip replacement has been shown to be strongly related to function after surgery, yet little is known about the effects of exercise on patients with end-stage osteoarthritis. A study published in the October 2006 issue of Arthritis Care & Research (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/arthritiscare) examined whether an exercise program prior to hip or knee replacement would benefit patients in terms of function, pain, and muscle strength before or after surgery.

Led by Daniel S. Rooks, ScD of New England Baptist Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, the study included 108 patients scheduled to undergo hip or knee replacement between November 2001 and November 2003. The patients were divided into two groups: 54 patients participated in water and land-based exercise three times a week for the six-week period immediately before surgery and 54 controls received educational materials. Prior to surgery all patients were questioned about their level of function and were evaluated in terms of lower-extremity strength, balance, and mobility. The exercisers participated in strength training, aerobic and flexibility exercises that were individually tailored to each person's fitness level, performed in a group and supervised by a physical therapist.

The results showed that patients who exercised reduced their odds of discharge to an inpatient rehabilitation facility by 73 percent. "The potential economic implication of this finding is noteworthy and should be examined in future studies, particularly with the rise in inpatient rehabilitation use," the authors note.
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Contact: Amy Molnar
amolnar@wiley.com
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
29-Sep-2006