The Importance of Postoperative Rehabilitation...

A study published last month, in the Journal of Arthroplasty, “Novel Use of an Accelerometer to Assess Load Asymmetry Over Time After Hip Resurfacing Arthroplasty” Ren et al (2023), evaluated the use of accelerometers to identify when symmetry is restored between operative and non-operative limbs.

The study consisted of 26 primary hip resurfacing arthroplasty patients who performed five validated physical tests before surgery, then at, 3, and 6 months after surgery. According to the authors, this is the first study to investigate the use of accelerometers to evaluate limb asymmetry in pre-operative and post-operative hip arthroplasty patients.

Key Outcomes:

·        Impact loads and strength reach interlimb symmetry at 6 months post-HRA

·        Wearable technologies can provide a data-driven metric to distinguish interlimb asymmetries, thereby assisting providers to monitor post-operative recovery and propose an individualized return to sports protocols more accurately.

·        Data illustrates that accelerometer data can provide a more objective measure of physical function.

·        Going forward this study can inform surgeons on the current progress of using wearable technologies to guide rehabilitation, particularly for patients undergoing HRA.

JM Comments

As emphasized in the study, HRA is an effective solution for professional athletes who have end-stage hip osteoarthritis looking to return to high-level competition. However, HRA should not be viewed as a treatment exclusively for sportspersons, rather this study provides valuable data to individuals and healthcare professionals, indicating an optimal recovery regime with the intent to significantly enhance postoperative recovery for all HRA recipients.

Reference

Ren R, Spaan J, Jordan A, Shafiro A, Su EP, Novel Use of an Accelerometer to Assess Load Asymmetry Over Time After Hip Resurfacing Arthroplasty, The Journal of Arthroplasty (2023), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arth.2023.04.015.