Effectiveness of A Home-Based Telerehabilitation System in Patients After Total Hip Arthroplasty: Study Protocol of A Randomized Controlled Trial
Abstract Background: The demand for total hip arthroplasty (THA) is quickly rising given the escalating global incidence of hip osteoarthritis and it is widely accepted that the post-surgery rehabilitation is key to optimize outcomes. The overall objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a new telerehabilitation solution, ReHub, for the physical function and clinical outcome improvement following THA. The specific aim of this manuscript is to describe the study design, protocol, content of interventions, primary and secondary outcomes and to discuss the clinical rehabilitation impact of the expected experimental results.Methods/design: This prospective, randomized, controlled, parallel-group trial will include 56 patients who had undergone primary THA. Patients are randomized to a control group (standard rehabilitation during the 2-week stay in the rehabilitation clinic followed by 3 weeks of unsupervised home-based rehabilitation) or an experimental group (standard rehabilitation during the 2-week stay in the rehabilitation clinic followed by 3 weeks of home-based ReHub-assisted telerehabilitation). The primary outcome is physical performance assessed through the Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test. Secondary outcomes include independence level, pain intensity, hip disability, hip range of motion, muscle strength and patient’s perception of clinical improvement.Discussion: Proving the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a home-based telerehabilitation program for physical and muscle function following THA could support its systematic incorporation in post-surgical rehabilitation protocols, that should be tailored to individual and collective needs.Trial registration: ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT04382729. Registered 22 November 2019 - https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04176315