Minimally invasive compared with traditional transgluteal approach for total hip arthroplasty: a comparative gait analysis.

Background: Minimally invasive total hip arthroplasty is purported to allow an improved and faster rehabilitation in the immediate postoperative period because of reduced soft-tissue damage compared with total hip arthroplasty performed with use of a standard approach. In the present study, a minimally invasive approach was compared with a traditional standard approach in terms of the effect on gait kinematics as demonstrated with gait analysis and electromyography.

Methods: Twenty randomized patients who underwent a primary total hip replacement with use of a minimally invasive modified Watson-Jones approach (minimally invasive group) were compared with a group of twenty patients who underwent a total hip arthroplasty with use of a standard transgluteal Hardinge approach (standard group).