Post-operative Limp - Concern or Illusion? - A Prospective Evaluation of Limp After Hip Surgery
Amol Yashwant Patil1*, D. D. Tanna2, Sushrut Babhulkar3, Nitin Kimmatkar4,Ashutosh Apte5, Amol Kadu6, Aniruddha Sonegaonkar7
1Ganga Clinic and Sushrut Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur, India.
2H. N. Reliance Hospital, Mumbai, India.
3Sushrut Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur, India.
4IGGMC & Mayo General Hospital, Nagpur, India.
5Sawali Orthopadic Hospital, Nagpur, India.
6Upacharya Hospital, Nagpur, India.
7NKP Salve Medical College & Lata Mangeshkar Hospital, Nagpur, India.
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Amol Patil, MBBS, D-Orth, DNB (Orth), M.Ch. (Orth), Ganga Clinic, 3545/B/6, Ganga Clinic Road, Samaj Ekta Society, New Manish Nagar, Somalwada, Nagpur – 440005, India.
https://doi.org/10.58624/SVOAOR.2026.06.020
Received: June 07, 2026
Published: August 07, 2026
Citation: Patil AY, Tanna DD, Babhulkar S, Kimmatkar N, Apte A, Kadu A, Sonegaonkar A. Post-operative Limp - Concern or Illusion? - A Prospective Evaluation of Limp After Hip Surgery. SVOA Orthopaedics 2026, 6:4, 135-144. doi: 10.58624/SVOAOR.2026.06.020
Abstract
Purpose: To study the incidence, etiopathogenesis of limp after hip surgery. Secondary aim was to find out association of limp with patient satisfaction and identify the preventive measures.
Methods: Prospective study in 360 patients treated from January 2019 to December 2020 who either underwent fracture reconstruction surgery for proximal femoral fractures or joint replacement surgery for end stage osteonecrosis. Single center study with minimum follow up of 5 years. Patients between 25 to 45 years with AO/ OTA 31-A1 to 31-A3 proximal femur fracture or end stage hip osteonecrosis essentially with pre-operative normal gait (limp not reported) and no associated co-morbidities were chosen. Patients with pathological fractures and previous hip surgery were excluded. The patients who developed any post-operative complications were excluded. Harris Hip Score particularly limp sub-score is used. 5-point Likert scale was used to assess satisfaction at 5 years.
Results: Incidence of limp after hip surgery was 32.8% whereas the incidence of persistent limp was 11.4%. Common preventable causes of limp are SGN injury, gluteal damage, implant or component malposition and limb length discrepancy. Patient’s dis-satisfaction is directly proportional to the limp after surgery.
Conclusions: Incidence of persistent limp after hip surgery is much higher than we think and the reasons behind it are preventable. Precise anatomical knowledge, careful patient positioning, safe surgical techniques are key factors. Application of these preventive measures warrant further in-depth analysis, to decrease incidence of persistent post-operative limp.
Level of Evidence – Prognostic Level IV
Keywords: Post-operative Limp, Persistent Limp, Superior Gluteal Nerve