Occupational Activity in Patients 10 Years after Hip Replacement Surgery.

Background: Advanced hip osteoarthritis requires total joint replacement surgery to improve daily activity, including occupational activity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate employment status among patients 10 years after hip replacement surgery.

Material And Methods: A total of 63 patients who underwent total hip replacement surgery at the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology between 2003 and 2005 were enrolled in the study. At the time of the study (2014), all patients from the study group were of working age. Ultimately, 32 patients participated in the study. Each participant completed a questionnaire with questions about the place of residence, age, type of endoprosthesis, employment status, type of work performed, reason for arthroplasty, postoperative course of rehabilitation and subjective health status. Functional capacity was evaluated using Harris' 100-point scale.

Results: 88% of the respondents had been employed prior to surgery, compared to only 46% one year after surgery and only 40% at 10 years after surgery. A positive outcome was that 17% of the respondents receiving a disability pension prior to surgery were able to return to work after surgery.

Conclusions: 1. Hip replacement surgery may affect the employment status of patients. 2. The most significant factors influencing cessation of work were a high BMI, living in a rural environment and being female.