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Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of therapeutic exercise before total hip replacement in frail elderly.

Design: A single-blind, randomized clinical pilot trial.

Setting: Outpatient physiotherapy department.

Subjects: Frail elderly with hip osteoarthritis awaiting total hip replacement.

Interventions: A short (3—6 weeks) tailor-made, therapeutic exercise programme was compared with usual care.

Main measures: Feasibility was assessed through patient satisfaction, adherence, occurrence of adverse events and the number of eligible non-volunteers. Preliminary preoperative effectiveness was assessed with performance and self-reported measures of pain, functioning, physical activity and quality of life. Postoperatively we measured functional recovery and length of hospital stay.

Results: Sixty-two eligible patients were approached of whom 21 (mean age 76 years) agreed to participate …