BACKGROUND: Hip dislocation is the most common reason for early revision after total hip arthroplasty (THA). To prevent dislocation, patients are often prescribed movement restrictions following THA; however, these restrictions can be uncomfortable and limiting for patients and may delay a return to daily activities. The present study aimed to investigate whether a protocol with reduced movement restrictions following THA would lead to an increased incidence of early hip dislocations.
METHODS: In this uncontrolled, multicenter, before-and-after study, 2 groups were retrospectively compared. Patients who underwent a THA between January 1, 2015, and March 31, 2020, were included. Patients in the first group (n = 7,666) were prescribed strict movement restrictions following THA, and patients in the second group (n = 2,691) were prescribed minimal movement restrictions. Patient and prosthesis characteristics were collected, as well as data regarding hip dislocations within 90 days postoperatively as the primary outcome.
RESULTS: The incidence of early hip dislocations was not significantly different between movement groups, with 112 (1.46%) of 7,661 hips in the restricted group and 52 (1.93%) of 2,691 hips in the minimally restricted group experiencing a dislocation (p = 0.093).
CONCLUSIONS: The use of a protocol with minimal movement restrictions following THA did not increase the incidence of early hip dislocations.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
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