Abstract
Objective: To determine whether total knee arthroplasty recipients demonstrating comparatively poor mobility at entry to rehabilitation and who received supervised therapy, had better rehabilitation outcomes than those who received less supervision. Design: Retrospective analysis of randomized trial data. Patients: Total knee arthroplasty participants randomized to supervised (n = 159) or home-based therapy (n = 74). Methods: Participants were dichotomized based on mean target 6-min walk test (6MWT) pre-therapy (second postsurgical week). Absolute and change in 6MWT and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) Pain and Function subscales amongst low performers in the supervised (n = 89) and unsupervised (n = 36) groups were compared, as were high performers in the supervised (n = 70) and unsupervised (n = 38) groups. Results: Low performers in the unsupervised compared with the supervised group demonstrated significantly poorer 6MWT scores (absolute δ = 8.5%, p = 0.003; change δ = 8.1%, p = 0.007) when therapy ceased (10 weeks post-surgery). No differences in 6MWT were observed between the high performing subgroups or in the recovery of WOMAC subscales between any subgroups. Conclusion: Individuals manifesting comparatively poor mobility at the commencement of physiotherapy may recover their mobility, but not perceived function, more quickly if streamed to supervised therapy.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 235-241 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine |
Volume | 47 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Keywords
- arthroplasty
- knee
- physical therapy
- rehabilitation
- surgery