The purpose of this study is to prove whether Japanese patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) for the hip dysplasia were able to return to sport after surgery.

A questionnaire survey was completed by 77 patients in 9 males and 68 females between 1 and 3 years after surgery. Mean age at surgery was 66.1 (range, 49 to 87).

In the 3 years before surgery 40 (51.9%) patients were participating in sport. By 1 to 3 years after surgery 43 (55.8%) patients were participating in sport. A total of 33 (82.5%) had returned to their sporting activities by 1 to 3 years after surgery in groups who played sports before surgery and 7 (17.5%) were unable to do with the most common reason being “cannot move as much as I wanted”. On the other hand, a total of 10 (27%) had started playing sports after surgery. The sports activities after surgery were the most common being walking, radio calisthenics, and swimming as low-impact sports. A total of 27 (73%) did not play sports before or after surgery with the most common reason being “fear of damage to the hip joint”.

In conclusion, when Japanese patients who have undergone THA for hip dysplasia choose to participate in sports, orthopedic surgeons should provide information with which to evaluate the risk of sports activity and recommend appropriate sports activity.