Preoperative Exercise in Patients Undergoing Total Hip or Knee Replacement

This study is conducted in the Community Hospital in Svendborg (OUH Svendborg Sygehus) in collaboration with University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital.

The overall purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of preoperatively delivered neuromuscular exercise on self perceived physical function, pain and Quality of Life in patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement. Secondary area of interest is physical performance, muscle function, and level of physical activity.

The project will be conducted in two phases:

• A pilot project focusing on the logistics of the upcoming randomized controlled trial (RCT) and determination of test-retest reliability of specific muscle strength variables for the patients of interest
• A randomized and controlled trial where the intervention is preoperative neuromuscular exercise and the controls receive standard instructions.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients scheduled for elective primary, unilateral total hip or knee replacement in Svendborg Community Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
• Patients with osteoarthritis
• Age over 18

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not being able to read and understand Danish.
• Patients with co-morbidity diseases where a moderate level of physical exercise is contraindicated, e.g. severe heart disease and neurological deficits.
• Patients unable to attend intervention.
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A history of or ongoing use of medication for RA or other inflammatory arthritis such as gold, methotrexate, plaquenil etc.
• Lack of wish to participate or unwillingness to sign an informed consent.
• Specific for hip patients: a history of severe sequelae due to congenital hip-dysplasia requiring specialized postoperative training. A history of femoral neck and trochanteric fracture.
• Patients planned to have bilateral joint replacement within same procedure.