Surgery or strength? new study pits hip replacement against exercise for arthritis pain

NCT ID NCT04070027

Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: Vejle Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study compares two treatments for end-stage hip osteoarthritis: total hip replacement surgery and progressive resistance training (strength exercises). About 109 adults aged 50 and older with severe hip arthritis will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatments. The main goal is to see which approach better improves hip function and reduces pain after 6 months.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Total hip replacement surgery or progressive resistance training (strength exercises)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could show that strength training is a viable alternative to surgery for some patients with severe hip arthritis, avoiding the need for an operation.
What could go wrong: This is a relatively small trial (109 people) and results may not apply to everyone. Surgery carries risks like infection or blood clots, while exercise may not provide enough relief for end-stage disease.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Motor Activity osteoarthritis, hip

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

HIP OSTEOARTHRITIS

Contacts and locations

Locations

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Odense University Hospital (OUH)

Odense, 5000, Denmark
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital (AUH)

Aarhus, 8200, Denmark
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Naestved Hospital

Næstved, 4700, Denmark
Depatment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Vejle Hospital

Vejle, 7100, Denmark

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