Summary
Proper operative treatment and postoperative rehabilitation lead to normalization of biomechanical parameters of lumbo-pelvic-hip complex and weight-bearing.
Abstract
Degenerative disease is the most common disease of the musculoskeletal system and according to forecasts, this problem will increase. It causes severe pain and leads to a significant reduction in the activity and quality of life of patients, generating additional billions in costs related to medical and social care. Currently, the most effective method of treating a degenerative disease is arthroplasty involving the implantation of artificial joint elements. A very important element of the therapy is the selection of an appropriate implant, its correct placement and post-operative improvement of the patient. All these elements make it possible to eliminate changes in the skeletal system resulting from degenerative changes in the hip joint and to restore the correct biomechanical conditions as much as possible. One of its elements is the possibly symmetrical distribution of the weight load on the lower limbs and biomechanical changes in lumbo-pelvic-hip complex (LPHC). The aim of the study is to evaluate changes in the load of weight distribution and biomechanical changes in LPHC in patients after hip arthroplasty.
Material And Methods
The study group consisted of 32 men aged over 50 qualified for hip arthroplasty and meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the study. They underwent an examination of their body posture and the preparation of a stabilogram using the DIERS Fotometric III 4D and Pedoscan system before and after the surgery. This optoelectronic method enables fast, radiation-free and large-scale measurement of individual parameters describing body posture and the observation of its changes over time, and is a combination of the latest optical technology and digital data processing. The collected data was then subjected to statistical analysis.
Results
In the group of subjects, statistically significant changes were observed in the difference in the distribution of body weight between the operated and healthy limbs (p <0.05), and this difference was clearly noticeable after approx. 3 months after the surgery. Main changes in LPHC observed in first three months of postoperative rehabilitation includes decrease in anteversion of LPHC (p<0,05) and pelvis rotation (p<0,05).
Conclusions
The use of the DIERS Fotometric III 4D and Pedoscan systems show that in patients after hip arthroplasty, the distribution of body weight between the operated and healthy limbs normalizes after a period of 3 months. Similar changes occur and lead to decrease in asymmetry of biomechanical parameters in LPHC region.