ABSTRACT

Introduction: Arthrosis of the joints is one of the leading causes of pain and disability in the world, and the most common affected joints are knees and hips. Patients decide on the surgical procedure of implantantion total hip endoprosthesis to reduce pain, increase mobility and improve the performance of daily life activities, thereby improving the quality of life. Preoperative physiotherapy is a potential way of accelerating the recovery time and overall improvement of the patient's function after implantantion of the endoprosthesis.

Aim: Determining the difference in functional abilities after implantantion of total hip endoprosthesis between patients with preoperative physiotherapeutic preparation and with patients without preoperative physiotherapeutic preparation.

Materials and methods: A sample of the examinees makes up to 30 patients for the surgical operation of the total hip endoprosthesis. In the study group (N = 15), there were preoperative physiotherapeutic and postoperative physiotherapeutic interventions, while those in the control group (N = 15) had only postoperative physiotherapeutic intervention. The hip flexion and hip abduction measurements were performed using the goniometer, the Numerical Scale for pain intensity evaluation, and the 10 Meter Walk Test, Timed Up and Go Test, Oxford Hip Score and Harris Hip Score questionnaires for functional ability assessment. The measurement was performed on the preoperative day and the third and tenth postoperative days.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference in preoperative measurement between groups. There was a statistically significant difference third postoperative day in the study group in the hip abduction (p = 0,0013) and Harris Hip Score (p = 0,021), and tenth postoperative day in hip abduction (p = 0,042), 10 Meter Walk Test (p = 0,047), Timed Up and Go Test (p = 0,028) and Oxford Hip Score (p = 0,035) and Harris Hip Score (p = 0,0060).

Conclusion: Preoperative physiotherapeutic preparation affects the increase in functional abilities after the operation of the total hip endoprosthesis.

Key words: hip osteoarthritis, total hip endoprosthesis, physiotherapy