Dynamics in morphological characteristics of femoral muscles in patients with total hip replacement involved in different rehabilitation programs

Purpose Review the dynamics in morphological characteristics of femoral muscles in patients with THR who followed different rehabilitation programs. Materials and methods Radiological and ultrasonographic assessment was used in 43 patients with THR and pain at the side of the operative intervention. Nineteen outpatients of the index group had manual therapy using the authors’ soft tissue manipulation technique. Control group included 24 patients aged 37 to 74 years (mean age of 57.3 ± 2.3 years) who were treated with standard method employing exercise therapy, massage with ischemic compression of trigger points, physioprocedures, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroprotective and vascular agents, and vitamins of B-group. Results The findings showed changes in optical density of the femoral soft tissues following a course of manual therapy that was likely to be related to the improved ROM in the hip and further decrease in muscle tone and better microcirculation in the interest area. Ultrasonographic assessment of periarticular muscles of the operated hip demonstrated an increase in the belly thickness of the target muscle with decreased echogenicity and recovered oblique and longitudinal fiber striation after the course of manual therapy. Control group exhibited no changes in the radiological and sonographic manifestations. Conclusions Manual therapy applied for pain arrest showed to be effective in patients with THR and can be advocated as a part of rehabilitation measures.