Fisioterapia

120

Bulletin of the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases 2007;65(2):120-5

Rehabilitation after Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty
A New Regimen Using Pilates Training
Brett Levine, M.S., M.D., Beth Kaplanek, R.N., Dina Scafura, and William L. Jaffe, M.D.

Abstract Rehabilitation after total hip and knee arthroplasty is a rapidly expanding discipline. With the introduction of minimally invasive techniques and the pressure of insurance regulations, postoperative rehabilitation has been placed on an accelerated track. As surgeons turn to more aggressive postoperative protocols and early entry into outpatient therapies, we introduce a pre- and postoperative program involving the Pilates method. Renewed patient interest in the use of Pilates for postoperative rehabilitation has led to the development of safe and modified exercises for patients undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty. While this technique appears safe and effective anecdotally, further controlled trials are necessary to prove its validity.

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he prevalence of total hip and knee arthroplasty is rapidly increasing in the U.S. In a recent report, the number of primary total hip arthroplasties increased from 119,000 to 193,000 between 1990 and 2002.1 Concomitantly, the number of total knee arthroplasties tripled from 129,000 to 381,000 between 1990 and 2002.1 During this time, the health care environment and insurance regulations have changed dramatically, driving a push for shorter in-patient hospital stays for total joint arthroplasty patients. Concomitantly, the benefits of early rehabilitation and patient
Brett Levine, MS, M.D., is an Adult Reconstructive Fellow, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois. Beth Kaplanek, R.N., is a Certified Pilates Instructor, Pilates Center of Long Island, Huntington, New York. Dina Scafura is a Certified Pilates Instructor, Pilates Center of Long Island, Huntington, New York. William L. Jaffe, M.D. is Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, New