People who undergo revision arthroplasty report more limitations but no decrease in physical activity compared with primary total hip arthroplasty: an observational study

Question: Do people who have had revision arthroplasty report more limitations and less physical activity than those after primary total hip arthroplasty? Can degree of limitation and physical activity be predicted by revision arthroplasty, after adjustment for age, gender, and Charnley classification? Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Participants: 371 people after primary and 134 after revision total hip arthroplasty. Outcome measures: Limitations were measured using the Dutch-language version of the WOMAC questionnaire and amount and intensity of physical activity was measured using the SQUASH questionnaire. Results: The revision arthroplasty group reported 12% (95% Cl 7 to 17) more limitations than the primary total hip arthroplasty group. They also reported 394 min/wk (95% Cl 88 to 701) less physical activity and 1153 min/wk (95% Cl 66 to 2241) less intensity of physical activity than the primary total hip arthroplasty group. Having had a revision arthroplasty predicted limitations regardless of whether the prediction was adjusted for age, gender, or Charnley group (B -12.1, 95% Cl -17.2 to -7.0). However, having had a revision arthroplasty did not predict either amount (B -121.2, 95% Cl -408.0 to 165.7) or intensity (B -912.8, 95% Cl -1989.1 to 163.6) of physical activity when the prediction was adjusted for age, gender, and Charnley group. Conclusion: People reported more limitations after revision arthroplasty than after primary total hip arthroplasty. However, people after revision arthroplasty appeared to be equally physically active as those after primary total hip arthroplasty after adjusting for age, gender, and Charnley group. [Stevens M, Hoekstra T, Wagenmakers R, Bulstra SK, van den Akker-Scheek I (2009) People who undergo revision arthroplasty report more limitations but no decrease in physical activity compared with primary total hip arthroplasty: an observational study. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 55: 185-189]