Investigation into the Effectiveness of an Intervention Utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis for hip Osteoarthritis Patients a Case Study of Improvements in Pain and Walking Ability

Abstract

[Purpose] We investigated the results of an intervention based on applied behavior analysis for a case presenting with difficulty in walking and hip joint pain.[Subjects] The subject was a 52-year-old female who was finding it increasingly difficult to walk because of increasing pain arising from osteoarthritis of both hips, who visited us as an outpatient 4 months after hospitalization at another facility. [Method] We performed behavior analysis after baseline measurements of pain experienced during walking and number of steps taken each day. We made a behavioral intervention of keeping a personal record and sticking to the prescribed target for the number of steps to be taken every day. We investigated the effectiveness of the intervention over 7 sessions with approximately 3 months between sessions through use of walking aids, pain experienced during walking and number of steps taken.[Results] As the intervention progressed, the dispersion in the number of steps taken and the pain experienced in walking decreased; walking aids changed from two crutches to a T-cane.[Conclusion] The present intervention, utilizing applied behavior analysis for a case experiencing chronic intense pain when walking due to hip osteoarthritis, of daily step limits directed by a physical therapist was observed over the long term, and we consider it influenced the improvement of walking ability and pain. Key words: hip osteoarthritis, hip joint pain, applied behavior analysis