February 2007

While exercise is often used successfully in treating post-operative joint replacement patients, a pre-surgical exercise regime can be beneficial, according to a study published in Arthritis Care & Research.

The exercise focused on strength training, aerobics and flexibility and was tailored for each patient's specific needs.

The investigators found that at the time of hospital discharge, the exercising patients were more likely to walk more than 50 feet and could go directly home.  "Those who exercised, decreased their odds of going to a rehab facility by 73%."

The pre-operative exercising THA patients saw the most improvement... functional decline was significantly less in patients who exercised prior to surgery.

"For those people who did not exercise, their function continued to decline leading up to surgery."

Doctors should be encouraged by these study results - and should also encourage their patients to partake in pre-surgical physical activity.