Comparison of immediate postoperative walking ability in patients receiving minimally invasive and standard-incision hip arthroplasty: a prospective blinded study.

Minimally invasive hip arthroplasty is thought to result in less soft tissue damage, earlier ambulation, and improved rehabilitation. This prospective blinded cohort study objectively analyzed early functional walking ability by stride analysis 2 days postoperatively. Ninety-five patients were analyzed, 43 of who received the minimal incision and 52 the traditional incision. Patients, physiotherapists, and assessors were blinded to the incision used. Velocity, cadence, stride length, operated and nonoperated limb step-length, and the ratio of step length of the operated to nonoperated limbs were recorded. No significant differences in any of these variables were shown between the minimal-incision and traditional-incision groups. This study demonstrates no functional benefits of the minimally invasive incision over the standard one in terms of early walking ability.