National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) Practice Exam

Which recreational activity poses the least risk of prosthetic loosening for a patient post-hip arthroplasty?

1. Distance freestyle swimming

2. Water skiing

3. Stationary rowing

4. Playing racquetball

The correct answer is: Distance freestyle swimming

Distance freestyle swimming is considered the activity that poses the least risk of prosthetic loosening for a patient following hip arthroplasty. This is largely because swimming, especially in a freestyle manner, involves low-impact movements that help maintain cardiovascular fitness and range of motion without putting significant stress on the hip joint. Swimming engages the muscles in a way that does not typically result in high forces being transmitted through the prosthetic joint, reducing the risk of loosening. Additionally, the buoyancy of water helps alleviate the force on the joints, allowing for safer movement, especially in the early stages of rehabilitation after hip surgery. In contrast, other activities listed, such as water skiing, stationary rowing, or playing racquetball, involve greater physical demands or high-impact movements that can introduce stress to the hip joint. Water skiing could involve rapid directional changes and impacts, stationary rowing could put load on the hips with repetitive flexion and extension, and racquetball has quick lateral movements that significantly challenge stability and can lead to a risk of complications like dislocation or loosening of the prosthesis. Therefore, distance freestyle swimming stands out as the safest and most appropriate choice for someone recovering from hip arthroplasty, allowing for continuous mobility and strengthening with minimal risk of