Weight-shifting-based robot control system improves the weight-bearing rate and balance ability of the static standing position in hip osteoarthritis patients: a randomized controlled trial focusing on outcomes after total hip arthroplasty

BACKGROUND: After a total hip arthroplasty (THA), standing and walking balance are greatly affected in the early stages of recovery, so it is important to increase the weight-bearing amount (WBA) on the operated side. Sometimes, traditional treatments may not be enough to improve WBA and weight-bearing ratio (WBR) on the operated side in a satisfactory way. To solve this problem, we came up with a new weight-shifting-based robot control system called LOCOBOT. This system can control a spherical robot on a floor by changing the center of pressure (COP) on a force-sensing board in rehabilitation after THA. The goal of this study was to find out how rehabilitation with the LOCOBOT affects the WBR and balance in a static standing position in patients with unilateral hip osteoarthritis (OA) who had a primary uncemented THA. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial included 20 patients diagnosed with Kellgren–Lawrence (K–L) grade 3 or 4 hip OA on the operative side and K–L grade 0 normal hip on the nonoperative side. We used the minimization method for allocation and randomly assigned patients to either the LOCOBOT group or the control group. As a result, 10 patient seach were randomly assigned to the LOCOBOT and control groups. Both groups received 40 min of rehabilitation treatment. Out of the 40 min, the LOCOBOT group underwent treatment for 10 min with LOCOBOT. The control group performed COP-controlled exercises on a flat floor instead of using LOCOBOT for 10 of the 40 min. All theoutcome measures were performed pre-THA and 11.9 ± 1.6 days after THA (12 days after THA). The primary outcome measure included WBR in the static standing position. RESULTS: After12 days of THA, the LOCOBOT group exhibited significantly higher mean WBR and WBA (operated side) values than the control group. Furthermore, the LOCOBOT group exhibited significantly lower mean WBA (non-operated side) and outer diameter area (ODA) values than the control group. From pre-THA to 12 days after THA, the LOCOBOT group exhibited a significant improvement in mean WBR and WBA (operated side). Moreover, the mean WBA (non-operated side) and ODA significantly decreased. From pre-THA to 12 days after THA, the control group showed a significant increase in total trajectory length and ODA. CONCLUSIONS: The most important finding of this study was that patients were able to perform the LOCOBOT exercise as early as the second day after THA, and that WBR and ODA significantly improved by the 12th day after THA. This result demonstrated that the LOCOBOT effectively improves WBR in a short period of time after THA and is a valuable system for enhancing balance ability. This expedites the acquisition of independence in activities of daily living after THA and may contribute to optimizing the effectiveness of medical care.