Resistance training in the early postoperative phase reduces hospitalization and leads to muscle hypertrophy in elderly hip surgery patients--a controlled, randomized study.
OBJECTIVES: To better understand how immobilization and surgery affect muscle size and function in the elderly and to identify effective training regimes. DESIGN: A prospective randomized, controlled study. SETTING: Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-six patients (aged 60-86) scheduled for unilateral hip replacement due to primary hip osteoarthrosis. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomized to standard home-based rehabilitation (1 h/d x 12 weeks), unilateral neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the operated side (1 h/d x 12 weeks), or unilateral resistance training of the operated side (3/wk x 12 weeks). MEASUREMENTS: Hospital length of stay (LOS), quadriceps muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), isokinetic muscle strength, and functional performance. Patients were tested presurgery and 5 and 12 weeks postsurgery. RESULTS: Mean+/-standard error LOS was shorter for the resistance training group (10.0+/-2.4 days, P