Stepping exercises improve muscle strength in the early postoperative phase after total hip arthroplasty: a retrospective study.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of stepping exercises in addition to conventional physical therapy on the recovery of muscle strength and walking speed after total hip arthroplasty.

Design: This was a retrospective study with 6 wks of follow-up care and evaluation. Patients (n = 30) undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty for hip osteoarthritis were divided into two groups based on whether stepping exercises were performed after surgery. The control group (n = 15) received supervised conventional physical therapy for 6 wks. The stepping group (n = 15) performed stepping exercises with conventional physical therapy. Outcome measures were lower limb muscle strength and walking speed at 6 wks postoperatively.

Results: The stepping group showed significantly higher recovery of the hip abductor and the knee extensor muscle strengths on the involved side compared with the control group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in walking speed and hip extensor, hip flexor and knee flexor strength on the involved side.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that stepping exercises may be effective in facilitating the muscular recovery of the hip abductors and knee extensors in the early postoperative phase after total hip arthroplasty.