Rehabilitation Guidelines for Use Following a Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO): A North American Based Delphi Consensus.
Ashley E Disantis, Ethan Ruh, RobRoy Martin and 2 others
PMID 36237641WHAT IT FOUND
Sixteen North American physiotherapists agreed on a staged rehabilitation protocol for isolated periacetabular osteotomy.
They recommended limiting weight-bearing to 25% for 6-8 weeks, restricting hip flexion to 90 degrees for 4-6 weeks, and avoiding long-lever hip flexion for 8-12 weeks.
Key findings
01Panelists agreed to limit weight-bearing to 25% foot-flat for 6-8 weeks post-operatively.
02Consensus was reached to restrict hip flexion to 90 degrees and external rotation to 20 degrees for 4-6 weeks.
03Experts agreed that long-lever active hip flexion should be avoided for 8-12 weeks following surgery.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The guidelines are based on expert opinion because no studies currently exist supporting specific weight-bearing or range of motion precautions for PAO. All panelists were from North America, which may limit the generalizability of these recommendations to other regions. The consensus applies only to isolated PAO procedures and does not cover patients who had concomitant surgeries such as hip arthroscopy or microfracture. The Delphi method relies on online surveys without open discussion, which may have prevented clarification of complex clinical nuances.
Declared interests
The authors have no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat these guidelines as evidence-based proof that this specific protocol yields superior outcomes compared to other approaches. These are expert consensus recommendations designed to reduce practice variation in an area with no existing research, not tested interventions.