Effects of Balance Training on Balance and Fall Confidence After Hip Replacement Surgery

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is commonly performed to reduce pain and improve functionalmobility in patients with hip joint disorders. However, many patients continue toexperience impaired balance control, decreased proprioception, muscle weakness, and fearof falling after surgery. These impairments may negatively affect gait stability,activities of daily living, and quality of life.Traditional balance training programs mainly focus on static posture control andpredictable weight‐shifting tasks. However, such approaches may not adequately improvereactive postural control required for unexpected balance disturbances encountered duringdaily activities. Perturbation‐based balance training (PBT) has recently gained attentionas an intervention designed to improve reactive balance control by exposing individualsto unexpected external disturbances and encouraging adaptive postural responses.This study aims to investigate the effects of perturbation‐based balance training usingpressure biofeedback in patients following total hip arthroplasty. The pressurebiofeedback system provides controlled instability and real‐time sensory feedback duringbalance tasks, allowing participants to improve postural control strategies andweight‐shifting ability.Thirty patients who underwent THA will be recruited and randomly assigned to either anexperimental group or a control group. The experimental group will receiveperturbation‐based balance training using pressure biofeedback in addition toconventional physical therapy, while the control group will perform conventional balancetraining with conventional physical therapy. Interventions will be performed 5 times perweek for 6 weeks.Outcome measures will include balance performance assessed by the Berg Balance Scale(BBS), Functional Reach Test (FRT), and center of pressure (COP) parameters measuredusing a Wii Balance Board. Falls efficacy will be evaluated using the Falls EfficacyScale (FES). Hip function and lower extremity function will be assessed using the HarrisHip Score (HHS) and Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS).The findings of this study may provide evidence supporting the clinical applicability ofperturbation‐based balance training using pressure biofeedback as an effectiverehabilitation strategy for improving postural stability and reducing fall risk afterTHA.