Minimal Movement Restrictions Do Not Increase Hip Dislocations Following Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Before-and-After Study of 10,357 Patients

Hip dislocation is the most common reason for early revision after total hip arthroplasty (THA). To prevent dislocation, patients are often prescribed movement restrictions following THA; however, these restrictions can be uncomfortable and limiting for patients and may delay a return to daily activities. The present study aimed to investigate whether a protocol with reduced movement restrictions following THA would lead to an increased incidence of early hip dislocations. In this uncontrolled, multicenter, before-and-after study, 2 groups were retrospectively compared. Patients who underwent a THA between January 1, 2015, and March 31, 2020, were included. Patients in the first group (n = 7,666) were prescribed strict movement restrictions following THA, and patients in the second group (n = 2,691) were prescribed minimal movement restrictions. Patient and prosthesis characteristics were collected, as well as data regarding hip dislocations within 90 days postoperatively as the primary outcome. The incidence of early hip dislocations was not significantly different between movement groups, with 112 (1.46%) of 7,661 hips in the restricted group and 52 (1.93%) of 2,691 hips in the minimally restricted group experiencing a dislocation (p = 0.093). The use of a protocol with minimal movement restrictions following THA did not increase the incidence of early hip dislocations. Therapeutic Level III . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.