Fast-track rehabilitation focusing on nutritional support during the perioperative period of total hip arthroplasty

Abstract

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a highly effective technique for relieving pain and reconstructing joint structures. However, even several years after THA, the preexisting muscle weakness does not resolve to the level of healthy individuals. Since the 2000s, minimally invasive surgical procedures and fast-track rehabilitation have enabled early functional recovery, particularly in terms of walking ability, but solutions to these problems have not yet been established. The benefits of combined nutrition and exercise interventions for sarcopenia and frailty are gaining widespread acceptance. Elements of sarcopenia and frailty may be inherently present in patients who have undergone THA, and a combination of nutritional and exercise interventions may be useful in treating post-prosthetic muscle weakness and prolonged muscle atrophy. This chapter describes their usefulness and implementation for patients who have undergone THA.