HSS journal : the musculoskeletal journal of Hospital for Special Surgery
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Post-operative rehabilitation after posterior-approach total hip arthroplasty (P-THA) includes the use of standard hip precautions, defined as no hip flexion beyond 90°, hip adduction, or hip internal rotation for 6 to 12 weeks after surgery (sometimes for life). Since they were first implemented in the 1970s, subsequent advances may have made standard hip precautions no longer necessary, although little evidence supports that hypothesis. A modified set of precautions, a "pose avoidance protocol," could be effective in enhancing recovery, but its effectiveness on early dislocation and post-surgical outcomes is not known. ⋯ A pose avoidance rehabilitation protocol in this P-THA population was found to be safe and was associated with accelerated functional recovery and high patient satisfaction without increased risk of early post-operative dislocation.