Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41578219›Full record

ArticleBMC geriatrics2026

Digital home-based physical activity promotion for older adults after total hip arthroplasty: protocol for the randomized controlled iPATH trial.

Theresa Buchner, Sarah Knopf, Ann-Sophie Haas, Tobias Eckert, Rebecca Fritz, Marie Merling, Anja Sander, Christina Klose, Tilman Walker, Jürgen M Bauer and 3 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07135843 (iPATH - Digital Home-Based Training for Physical Activity Promotion in Older Adults After Total Hip Arthroplasty), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07135843 narecruitingnot on this map

iPATH - Digital Home-Based Training for Physical Activity Promotion in Older Adults After Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorHeidelberg UniversityRan2025 to 2028Enrolled213ConditionsTotal Hip Arthroplasty (THA), Older Adults (65 Years and Older)ArmsDigital exercise program, Personal coaching for physical activity promotion
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Trial
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Theresa Buchner *Geriatric Center, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Sarah Knopf *Department of Orthopaedics, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
Ann-Sophie HaasGeriatric Center, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Tobias EckertGeriatric Center, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Rebecca FritzDepartment of Orthopaedics, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
Marie MerlingInstitute of Medical Biometry, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Anja SanderInstitute of Medical Biometry, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Christina KloseInstitute of Medical Biometry, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Tilman WalkerDepartment of Orthopaedics, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
Jürgen M BauerGeriatric Center, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Clemens BeckerGeriatric Center, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Christian Werner *Geriatric Center, Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany. christian.werner@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
Tobias Reiner *Department of Orthopaedics, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTotal hip arthroplasty (THA) effectively alleviates pain and improves physical function. However, an increase in patients’ physical activity (PA) is often not observed after surgery. This paradox may result from short rehabilitation periods and persistent sedentary habits and be further influenced by methodological limitations of previous PA monitoring approaches. Digital home-based exercise programs and personal caching (PC) using behavioral change techniques for PA promotion, together with recent advances in PA monitoring, may offer new opportunities to address these challenges. The aim of the iPATH study is to evaluate the efficacy of two novel post-rehabilitation interventions, consisting of a digital home-based physical exercise program with or without PC, compared with usual care, for increasing PA in older adults following THA using advanced PA monitoring approaches.

methodsIn this monocentric, three-arm randomized controlled trial, 213 older THA patients (≥ 65 years) will be assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio post-rehabilitation to a 12-week digital home-based exercise program (“Keep On Keep Up”) with or without additional PC for PA promotion, or usual care. The primary outcome is the mean daily step count at six months post-THA; mean daily walking distance serves as a subordinated primary outcome. Both outcomes will be collected preoperatively, post-rehabilitation, and at six months postoperatively using a body-fixed inertial measurement unit (AX6, Axivity Ltd.) combined with newly validated processing algorithms (Mobilise-D computational pipeline). Secondary outcomes include other digital and self-reported mobility outcomes, physical capacity, hip pain and function, psychological factors, falls, intervention acceptability, and health-related resource use. Primary analyses will follow the intention-to-treat principle. DISCUSSION: The digital home-based interventions are expected to increase PA compared with usual care. If effective, they have the potential to enhance patient health, reduce morbidity and mortality risk, and be implemented as routine post-rehabilitation care for older adults recovering from THA.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov (NCT07135843); prospectively registered on August 22, 2025.

Indexed as

Arthroplasty, Replacement, HipExerciseExercise TherapyHealth PromotionAgedDigital HealthFemaleHumansMaleRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAmbulatory monitoringExerciseHip replacementMobility limitationPatient educationPostoperative careSedentary behaviorTelerehabilitation

Identifiers

PMID41578219
PMCPMC12838228

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.