Total hip replacement provides the best results for treating moderate to severe hip osteoarthritis, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital. During a 1-year follow-up, we found that the combination of surgery and conservative treatment was more effective in reducing pain and improving functional capacity and quality of life than conservative treatment based on an exercise program alone.
Total hip arthroplasty is one of the most common surgical procedures. But a newly published randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of total hip arthroplasty and conservative treatment for moderate to severe hip osteoarthritis is the second of its kind in the world and the longest to date. Randomized controlled trials are the most reliable research design for investigating treatment outcomes.
In recent years, the benefits of surgical treatment for musculoskeletal disorders have often been questioned. However, our study suggests that hip osteoarthritis that causes pain and dysfunction should be treated surgically unless there are contraindications. Although conservative treatment was provided in this study in line with established clinical practice, the benefit to patients was clearly limited. Therefore, patients with moderate to severe hip osteoarthritis should be offered surgery without unnecessary delay. ”
Heikki Kreger, Professor, University of Eastern Finland
The study involved 120 patients with hip osteoarthritis, who were randomly assigned to receive conservative treatment after surgery or conservative treatment alone. Participants in the conservative treatment group were instructed in a voluntary exercise program. The surgical group received the same instructions after undergoing total hip arthroplasty. At baseline and after 1 year, participants’ physical performance was assessed, and various indicators were used to assess symptoms, functional capacity, and quality of life.
During the 1-year follow-up, patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty experienced greater pain relief and improved functional ability than those who received conservative treatment alone. Quality of life and physical performance were also more improved in the surgery group.
sauce:
University of Eastern Finland
Reference magazines:
Farmer, A. others. (2026) Total hip arthroplasty versus conservative treatment with a voluntary exercise program in moderate to severe hip osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial. bone and joint journal. DOI: 10.1302/0301-620X.108B5.BJJ-2025-0858.R2. https://boneandjoint.org.uk/Article/10.1302/0301-620X.108B5.BJJ-2025-0858.R2.
