The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of an early ambulation program that permits weight bearing after mini-incision total hip arthroplasty (THA). Fifty-eight patients who had THA performed between January 2000 and July 2002 were defined as our standard ambulation program group. Sixty-three patients who had THA performed after August 2002 were defined as our early ambulation program group. We evaluated post-operative fever period (days), the period until patients could walk with support (days), hospital stay (days), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association Hip score (JOA score) at admission and discharge. We evaluated the patients subjectively using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and found that the post-operative fever period was 4.4 days, the period until patients could walk with support was 14 days, and the average hospital stay was 35 days in the standard ambulation program group. Pre-operative JOA score was 49 points and 83 points at discharge in the standard ambulation program group. For the early ambulation program group, these same values were 2.4 days, 11 days, and 23 days, respectively. Pre-operative JOA score was 48 points and 83 points at discharge in the early ambulation program group. Post-operative fever period, the period until patients can walk with support, and hospital stay period were all statistically shorter in the early ambulation program group than in the standard ambulation program group. The VAS score was 88/100 regarding hospital stay. Patients can commence walking earlier and return home sooner when an early ambulation program is applied to mini-incision THA.

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Merits and Demerits of Recovery Phase Rehabilitation Ward…Ko ASAYAMA 609

Checkpoints and Problems in Recovery Phase Rehabilitation Ward…Shigeru SONODA, Shota NAGAI, Eiichi SAITOH 614

Reexamination of Indication Hospitalized in Recovery Phase Rehabilitation Ward…Yuichi UMEZU 617

Issue of Discharge to Home and Connection for Maintenance Term Rehabilitation…Shinichiro KAWAKITA 623

Requests to Recovery Phase Rehabilitation Ward from Acute Phase Hospital…Yoichiro HASHIMOTO, Toshiro YONEHARA, Tadashi TERASAKI, Tomohiro TAKITA, Teruyuki HIRANO, Makoto UCHINO 627

Requests to Acute Phase Hospital from Recovery Phase Rehabilitation Ward…Yasunori IKENAGA, Tadao NOMURA 634

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