The Use Of Motor Imagery And Action Observation In Older Adults With Post Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Scoping Review Protocol

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most common elective orthopaedic procedures worldwide. THA is a successful surgical treatment which relieves pain and enhances health-related quality of life for patients who suffer from advanced hip osteoarthritis or hip degenerative diseases. Post-surgical recovery for elderly patients usually takes a long time, while most people end up with lasting difficulties with post-operative recovery, which affects their ability to walk independently. Post-THA patients are affected by not only mobility limitation but also cognitive and psychological factors. Among the psychological factors, the fear of falls has gained considerable attention as a significant issue following joint replacement surgery in the elderly population. Recently, motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) have emerged as adjunctive, non-invasive rehabilitative techniques that are based on the theories of motor cognition and neuroplasticity. Motor imagery is the mental rehearsal of a movement without physical execution, action observation is the observation of goal-directed actions performed by others. Both interventions activate a common set of brain networks involved in motor planning and execution, including the mirror neuron system. This scoping review aims to systematically explore and map the existing literature on motor imagery and action observation interventions for older adults after total hip arthroplasty, with a focus on post operative recovery, functional mobility and fear of falling.