Hip precautions following primary total hip replacement: a national survey of current occupational therapy practice

Background: The aim of this research was to investigate the day-to-day work of occupational therapists with patients following elective total hip replacement (THR). The research question was 'What is routine practice in United Kingdom (UK) occupational therapy in advising on hip precautions following primary THR?' Method: A questionnaire was designed and piloted. Following minor revisions, 263 questionnaires were posted to occupational therapists in the UK. Results: Responses were analysed from 174 occupational therapists from 65 counties in the UK. There was generally consensus from therapists about which movements should be avoided postoperatively, on the activities discussed and practised with patients and on the equipment supplied. However, there was variation in the reasons given to justify precautions, on the timescales for precautions to be followed and on the amount of time spent with patients, in relation to both face-to-face contact and administration. Discussion and conclusion: Although more is now known about the content of occupational therapy following THR, this research has highlighted areas of disagreement and a lack of consensus in the reasoning behind using precautions. There is now a need to evaluate whether precautions are effective in preventing dislocation and this study provides an important first step in doing so.