When Minna was told she needed replacement surgery for her painful left hip, she was only able to take short steps with a cane for support. Despite the pain, she was determined to strengthen her hip before the surgery.
‘I began my pre-op rehabilitation program when I found out about the upcoming surgery,’ she said.
‘I wanted to be able to strengthen my hip before surgery because I knew it would be important for my recovery.’
Degenerative diseases of the joints are now the main reason for pain and loss of life quality in the middle aged and elderly in Australia. In an ageing population, hip disorders can occur through injury, repetitive strain, mechanical problems and osteoarthritis.
More than 55,00 hip replacement surgeries are now performed each year, with the average age of patients in their mid-60s. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, patients in the public system waited an average of 135 days for hip replacement surgery in 2023-24.
getback™ Director of Clinical Practice Geoffrey Mackay said that patients who are in pain while waiting for surgery risk further muscle de-conditioning as their joint function worsens.
‘There’s growing consensus in the medical community that outcomes of joint replacement surgery are significantly improved by rehabilitative muscle training that can isolate target areas and provide precise control of movement and loading,’ he said.
‘Ideally, rehabilitation for hip replacements should start before surgery. Good muscle condition in the muscles supporting the hip has been shown to help in recovery.’
Preparing patients for optimal recovery from hip replacement surgery
The new getback South Melbourne clinic – due to open in June – will offer both pre- and post-operative hip rehabilitation programs to improve surgery outcomes.
The programs will utilise devices manufactured by David Health Solutions in Finland to provide the most bio-mechanically correct, data-driven exercise therapy available.
Minna had an initial physiotherapy consultation at Nordic Health in Finland, which included a mobility and strength assessment using the David Health medical rehabilitation devices. The devices enable a patient’s hip strength, mobility and strength-balance to be tested and precisely measured.
The results showed that Minna’s hip extension was significantly limited. An individual program was created which focused on pain relief, maintaining hip mobility and strengthening muscles around her left hip and knee for holistic support.
Minna’s program included training on the Hip Extension device with a limited, controlled range of motion and moderate loads, which ensured safe and controlled therapy.
Gentle but effective post-op rehab
Six weeks after hip replacement surgery, Minna returned to Nordic Health for her post-op rehabilitation program. Her assessment results (graph below) show her progression.
*Reference values are based on the patient’s age, gender, height and weight.
‘I feel my recovery has been phenomenal,’ Minna said. ‘Both the pre- and post-op rehabilitation have significantly improved my recovery and quality of life.’
While her rehabilitation program has ended, she continues a preventative exercise program to maintain her hip strength and mobility.
‘I visit the clinic three times a week. I feel that my current program strongly supports my new hip,’ she said.
‘The devices also provide reassurance that I’m properly exercising my hips and I can’t do any damage.’
