The effect of functional movement ability on the quality of life after total hip replacement

Aims and objectives To analyse in detail the relationship between the movement and generic health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) indicators and the subjective feeling of health of the patients, as well as the objective movement parameters measured by the surgeon and the patient's opinion about the success of the total hip replacement (THR). Background We have only limited information about the effect of mobility function improvement on the HRQoL several years after THR. We have recently found that after THR postoperative health awareness is influenced mainly by cardiovascular diseases, but the effects of the movement parameters on the subsequent feelings of well‐being were not examined. Design Retrospective longitudinal study. Methods This study involved 109 patients who had had THR. The patients' health status and objective and subjective mobility function at the time of operation and five years later were evaluated using questionnaires (including EQ‐5D and WOMAC scores) and the hospital database. Results All components of EQ‐5D and WOMAC had significantly improved by Year 5 in patients who experienced a complete recovery after the operation, but not the mobility and pain components of EQ‐5D for those patients who felt an improvement only in their subjective mobility function. The surgeon‐assessed parameters and use of walking aids showed a similar distribution in patients who considered themselves to be healthy or only moderately sick five years after THR. Conclusion Successful THR significantly improves the feeling of well‐being and the mobility function of patients even five years after the operation. In individual cases, however, other subjective and objective factors, but not the mobility function, have a major influence on the HRQoL. Relevance to clinical practice Five years after successful THR, nursing care has to focus not only on the further improvement of the mobility but on strengthening the subjective feeling of the patient's well‐being and health.