Discussion
BBS, primary uncemented THA, THA, pain
COMPLICATIONS, DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS
In the present study, we included patients with unilateral hip OA who underwent primary uncemented THA. We evaluated WBR, WBA, TTL, and ODA in the static standing position as well as the OLS test, 3-m TUG test, BBS, and FR test before and 12 days after THA, to examine the specific effect of rehabilitation using the LOCOBOT. According to our search of the literature, there are currently no studies on the use of LOCOBOT in patients with hip OA who underwent THA. The present study is the first to examine the effect of treatment using the LOCOBOT on improving balance ability in the static standing posture, with a focus on WBR. The most important findings obtained in the present study are that the LOCOBOT can be operated from day 2 after THA and that of the mean length of rehabilitation of 8.6 days in the LOCOBOT group, the mean length of LOCOBOT usage was 7.2 days; in this short time, a significant improvement was obtained in terms of WBR and ODA. This result revealed that the LOCOBOT is a useful system that effectively improves WBR and balance ability in a short period after THA.As a result of weight-bearing pain, patients with unilateral hip OA adopt a posture strategy of shifting the COG to the non-operated side (Several reports have examined the effectiveness and safety of early full weight-bearing after uncemented THA. In the COG shift test, the balance ability is evaluated by analyzing parameters such as the distance, area, and speed of body shifts obtained by measuring the center of foot pressure in the static standing posture (We found that treatment with the LOCOBOT effectively improved WBR and balance ability in just 12 days after THA. This is an important finding for patients who wish to resume work as soon as possible and for those who wish to return to their home as soon as possible. Furthermore, for elderly individuals, it may reduce the risk of falls and complications such as deep vein thrombosis. A topic for future study is whether treatment with the LOCOBOT can improve gait motion. To address this question, we plan to implement treatment with the LOCOBOT for 6 weeks after THA and elucidate changes in temporo-spatial parameters as well as shifts in the COG. If LOCOBOT therapy is found to be effective for improving walking ability in the early post-THA period, it will significantly shorten the time required to gain walking independence, which currently takes about 3 months after THA (One limitation of the present study is that the ongoing effect of treatment with the LOCOBOT is not thoroughly examined. Evaluations in the present study were performed before THA and 12 days after THA. To obtain an accurate conclusion regarding the ongoing effect of treatment with the LOCOBOT, a larger sample size from 12 days after THA to 3 months after THA is needed. The blinding process was not observed in the study, so the device’s effect on THA may have been overestimated.