Analysis of Proprioception of Hip Joint in Total Hip Arthroplasty

Introduction: The instability of the joint is classified roughly into mechanical and functional. It is reported that the postoperative dislocation often occurs by the posterior approach of the THA and may be caused by functionality instability due to the injury of the periarticular soft tissue. We analyzed the joint position sense of the hip according to an approach of the THA and examined effect to give postoperative dislocation. Materials & Methods: 92 patients (184 hip joints) who received THA in our hospital were selected in the study. Cases in which position sensation measurements were insufficient were excluded. As for the classification, the posterior approach (PL groups) was 39 hips, anterolateral approach (AL groups) was 30 hips, and control group was 37 hips. Results: There was no significant difference between the AL group and PL group in the absolute reproduction angle error score (ARAES). The relative reproduction angle error scores (RRAES) for passive internal and external rotations and active internal rotation were significantly lower in the AL and control groups than the PL group. Discussion: This study was suggested that the hip joint position sense in the AL group was better retained for the preservation of the soft tissue.