Project Details
Projekt
Improving surgical treatment outcomes in Hip Osteoarthritis based on Biomechanical and BIomarker Discoveries (HOBBID)
Subject Area
Orthopaedics, Traumatology, Reconstructive Surgery
Term
since 2022
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 492686079
Osteoarthritis is associated with joint pain and functional limitations and is a leading cause for impairment in the older population. The prevalence of hip osteoarthritis in Germany is between 20 and 30%, depending on age and sex. When the personal suffering of persons with hip osteoarthritis is too great and conservative treatment methods no longer help, pain relief and restoration of the activity level can be achieved by means of a total hip replacement. Despite a good clinical functional outcome and a recovery of walking speed, deviations in the gait pattern often remain. Unfavorable movement patterns can lead to higher joint loads in neighboring joints such as the non-operated hip joint and the knee joints, and are believed to increase the risk of osteoarthritis occurring in these joints as well. In particular, the contralateral knee is predisposed and at a higher risk for the development of osteoarthritis. Other factors that contribute to joint load include the altered leg alignment and hip abductor function after total hip replacement. In this project, we intend to study two main objectives divided over six closely interrelated work packages. The first goal of this research project is to predict which patients are susceptible to an unfavorable course after total hip arthroplasty (i.e. characterized by deviations in gait patterns and increased joint loads) and thus have an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis in adjacent joints. Identification of patients at risk will be based on both their gait biomechanics as well as on serum biomarkers. Early identification is necessary to optimize rehabilitation after total hip replacement and reduce treatment costs for the healthcare system. The second goal of this project is to investigate the influence of leg alignment in general and specifically the restoration of the femoral offset and leg length on the development of the abductor strength and consequently the development of a healthy gait pattern for all joints. The findings from this project could lead to an optimization of prosthesis planning and fitting and thus prevent premature wear of the prosthesis and reduce unfavorable loads in neighboring joints.
DFG Programme
Research Grants
Co-Investigators
Professorin Dr. Andrea Meurer; Professor Dr. Felix Stief; Professor Dr. Frank Zaucke
