Arthroplasty is a common procedure in orthopedic surgery to address severe osteoarthritis (OA) in the hip joint. With the burgeoning “baby boomer” generation and older athletes who wish to return to competitive levels of sports, understanding how sporting activity affects arthroplasty outcomes is becoming exceptionally important.
The demand for total joint arthroplasty is projected to increase in the first three decades of the twenty-first century. Patients who have had a hip or knee replacement are more and more expecting to participate in athletics after rehabilitation.
In general, patients who have had a hip or knee replacement decrease their participation and intensity of athletic activity following the total joint arthroplasty.
There is little prospective evidence regarding the likelihood of poor clinical outcomes with higher level of sporting activity. There is some evidence to suggest that wear may be related to activity level, but the impact on clinical outcomes is conflicting. When advising an athlete considering returning to sport after THA, it is mandatory to consider it preoperative activity level, current physical fitness, and specific history including bone quality, surgical approach and type of prosthesis.
Expert opinion regarding appropriate athletic activity after total joint arthroplasty is available from the Hip Society and the Knee Society. When patients who have undergone joint replacements choose to participate in athletic activity, orthopaedic surgeons should provide information with which to evaluate the risk of sports activity and recommend the appropriate athletic activity.
Integration of Patient-reported Outcomes in a Total Joint Arthroplasty Program at a High-volume Academic Medical Center
