Antigravity Treadmill After Joint Arthroplasty

Summary

The study aims to evaluate the efficacy of antigravity treadmill training and body weight-supported treadmill training in the rehabilitation of elderly patients (60-75 years) following hip or knee arthroplasty.

Conditions

• Arthropathy
• Osteoarthritis

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Antigravity Treadmill Training

Antigravity treadmill training uses air pressure to reduce effective body weight during walking, minimizing joint load while preserving gait mechanics. The 6-week intervention includes five sessions per week within a 120-minute daily kinesitherapy program. Treadmill speed is individualized at baseline and increased by 0.5 km/h every two weeks. Unloading is progressively reduced: 60% support in weeks 1-2, 40% in weeks 3-4, and 20% in weeks 5-6, allowing gradual adaptation to full weight-bearing.

BEHAVIORAL

Body Weight-Supported Treadmill Training

Body weight-supported treadmill training uses a harness-based system to partially offload body weight, promoting safe ambulation and gait normalization in early postoperative rehabilitation. The 6-week intervention includes five sessions per week within the 120-minute daily kinesitherapy program. Treadmill speed is individualized at baseline and increased by 0.5 km/h every two weeks, depending on tolerance. The unloading level remains constant and is individually adjusted to ensure safety.

BEHAVIORAL

Conventional rehabilitation

Conventional rehabilitation follows standard postoperative protocols after hip or knee arthroplasty. The 6-week program includes five weekly sessions. Gait training is conducted in hospital corridors under physiotherapist supervision, using assistive devices as needed (crutches, walkers). Daily therapy includes 120 minutes of kinesiotherapy (general exercises and gait training), 30 minutes of ergotherapy to improve functional independence, and three individualized physical therapy procedures (laser therapy, magnetic therapy, or electrotherapy) tailored to patient needs.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Wroclaw Medical University

  collaborator OTHER

• Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa

  collaborator OTHER

• Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Justyna Mazurek, PhD · Wroclaw Medical University

• Błażej Cieślik, PhD · Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences

• Joanna Szczepańska-Gieracha, Prof. · Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

60 Years

Max Age

75 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-05-15

Primary Completion

2025-12-31

Completion

2026-06-30

Countries

• Poland

Study Locations