Effects of knee extension exercise starting within 4 h after total knee arthroplasty

• Published in: European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology Vol. 32; no. 5; pp. 803 - 809
• Main Authors: Kubota, Masafumi, Kokubo, Yasuo, Miyazaki, Tsuyoshi, Matsuo, Hideaki, Naruse, Hiroaki, Shouji, Kazuki, Shimada, Seiichiro, Matsumine, Akihiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Springer Paris 01.07.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee - rehabilitation; Exercise Therapy; Gait; Gait - physiology; Humans; Knee; Knee Joint; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Article; Osteoarthritis, Knee - surgery; Range of motion; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Rehabilitation; Surgery; Surgical Orthopedics; Traumatic Surgery; Treatment Outcome; Range of motion; Pain; Muscle strength; Total knee replacement; Knee extension exercise; Gait analysis
• ISSN: 1432-1068; 1633-8065; 1432-1068
• DOI: 10.1007/s00590-021-03042-9

Purpose To determine the beneficial effects of knee extension exercise applied from 4 h after TKA. Methods Patients undergoing TKA for osteoarthritis were assigned to early rehabilitation ( n  = 41) and control rehabilitation ( n  = 39) groups. Rehabilitation of knee extension exercise was started within 4 h postoperative in the early group and 2 days after surgery in the control group. Joint range of motion and pain were assessed before surgery and at 3 days to 12 months after surgery. Muscle strength and gait parameters were assessed before and 3 weeks after surgery. Results Extension range of motion was significantly increased in the early group than the control at 3 days, 3 weeks and 6 months after surgery. In gait parameters, peak knee flexion and extension angles during stance phase were significantly improved in the early group than the control group at 3 weeks after surgery. Flexion range of motion was increased in the early group than the control at 12 months after surgery. Conclusion Starting knee extension exercise within 4 h after TKA reduced the early loss of extension range of motion and improved gait pattern and seemed to contribute to be better functional outcome one year after surgery.