Tag Archives: knee postoperative rehabilitation

Can Activity Trackers Assist with Recovery After Knee or Hip Arthroplasty?

Posted in Exercise and Health, Hip, Joint Replacement, Knee, News and Events Leave a comment

activitytrackerCommercial wrist-worn activity monitors, like those by Fitbit, the Apple Watch or Garmin, have the potential to accurately assess activity levels and have been gaining popularity in the last few years. In a 2018 study published in The Journal of Arthroplasty, researchers set out to determine if feedback from activity monitors can improve activity levels after total hip arthroplasty or total knee arthroplasty.

To conduct this study, 163 people undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty were randomized into two groups. Subjects in the study received an activity tracker with the step display obscured two weeks before surgery and completed patient-reported outcome measures. On the day after surgery, participants were randomized into either the “feedback group” or the “no feedback group”. The feedback group was able to view their daily step count and was given a daily step goal. Those in the no feedback group wore the device with the display obscured for two weeks after surgery and did not receive a formal step goal, but were also able to see their daily step count after those two weeks were up.

Average steps taken by both groups were monitored at one, two, and six weeks, and again at six months. At six months after surgery, subjects repeated their patient-reported outcome measures.

It turns out that the feedback group subjects had a significantly higher average daily step count by 43% in week one, 33% in week two, 21% in week six, and 17% at six months, compared to the no feedback group. Additionally, the feedback group subjects were 1.7 times more likely to achieve an average of 7,000 steps per day than the no feedback group subjects at six weeks after surgery. Six weeks after surgery, the feedback group participants were back to their pre-op activity levels (100%) and at six months, they were actually stepping more (137%). While 83% of the no feedback group participants reported they were satisfied with the results of the surgery, 90% of the feedback groups reported the same.

With mobility and physical activity being imperative to healthy aging and very helpful for recovery after total hip arthroplasty or total knee arthroplasty, incorporating an activity monitor into your post-operative rehabilitation is a great idea for health and exercise motivation.

Dr. Stickney, a Kirkland orthopedic surgeon, is an expert in total knee arthroplasty, total hip arthroplasty, exercise and health, and more. Contact Dr. Stickney to return to your healthy, pain-free lifestyle.

Home Exercise vs. Outpatient Physical Therapy Following Total Knee Arthroplasty

Posted in Exercise and Health, Joint Replacement, Knee, News and Events Leave a comment

at-home-exerciseDr. Jeff Stickney, a Kirkland orthopedic surgeon, can help you determine whether outpatient physical therapy or home exercise is better suited for your recovery following total knee arthroplasty. He specializes in orthopedic surgeries and health care including total knee replacement, joint replacement, sports medicine, and more. Contact doctor Stickney’s office today to learn more.

Outpatient physical therapy (OPT) is the practice of visiting a healthcare facility such as a clinic or office to perform exercises to treat musculoskeletal problems. This strategic physical activity with the guidance of a physical therapist is a common means of both injury prevention and recovery from sports injuries, because it helps patients address joint pain and regain range of motion. While OPT has a long history as a fundamental part of proper treatment plans for recovery and maintenance following total knee arthroplasty (TKA), recent studies have questioned the need for OPT following total knee replacement surgery.

A new study, “Home Exercises vs. Outpatient Physical Therapy After Total Knee Arthroplasty: Value and Outcomes Following a Protocol Change”, explored the “health safety, efficacy, and home economics of routine home exercises following TKA compared with OPT immediately afterward”. It compared 251 patients who were prescribed OPT following TKA, and 269 who followed a home exercise program instead after their operations. Ultimately the study found that patients who practice home-directed exercise programs in place of formal OPT have seen comparable outcomes, and can even experience significantly reduced costs. They concluded that while some patients required OPT following their home exercise program, the majority did not.

As the study above highlights, the use of home-healthcare for knee postoperative knee rehabilitation following TKA is increasing. Many other publications have reported the same, claiming that supervised rehab such as OPT may not be necessary for optimal recovery following TKA. However, another recent study explored the association between physical therapy (PT) and functional improvements for patients in home settings. This study also explored factors related to PT utilization, meaning it identified the reasons patients did or did not use their home healthcare.

The study found that lower home-healthcare utilization was correlated with worse recovery. Participation in home-healthcare was generally lower for patients who had the help of physical therapists from rural agencies that came to their home. Medical complexity – such as depressive symptoms or dyspnea – factored into the patients’ levels of participation too.

Comparing the results of both studies, we can conclude that home exercise for joint replacement postoperative rehabilitation is effective, however it’s important that patients actually follow through on utilizing the home practice, performing the necessary amount for an optimal recovery. We can also see that those with medical complexities may need additional monitoring to verify that they perform the necessary amount of home PT sessions to achieve optimal knee surgical outcomes for a complete recovery.

Can Patients Who Live Alone Be Sent Home Safely After Joint Replacement?

Posted in Hip, Joint Replacement, Knee Leave a comment

homerecoveryAccording to a recent study published by The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery in partnership with Wolters Kluwer, most patients who live alone can safely be discharged home from the hospital to recover after knee or hip replacement surgery.

This encouraging finding questions the firmly held belief that patients who live on their own should first be sent to an inpatient rehabilitation facility after undergoing hip or knee joint replacement surgery. “Patients living alone had a safe and manageable recovery when discharged directly home after total joint arthroplasty,” write Andrew N. Fleischman, MD, and colleagues from The Rothman Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia.

The study focused on 769 patients of a similar age demographic who were sent directly home after one-sided total hip or knee replacement; 138 of these patients were living alone for the first two weeks after surgery. The researchers compared complication rates and other important outcomes for patients who lived alone versus those who lived with others.

The researchers did find that patients who lived alone were more likely to spend more than one night in the hospital, had higher rates of in-home nursing care and physical therapy. But otherwise, the outcomes were very similar for patients living alone compared to those who lived with others. In both groups, the post-discharge complication rate was around eight percent. The two groups also had similar rates of “unplanned clinical events,” such as emergency department or urgent care visits. Pain relief and satisfaction scores during recovery were very alike as well.

Perhaps some of the most exciting results: up to six months after surgery, there were no significant differences in scores for joint functioning and quality of life and nearly 90 percent of patients living alone said they would choose to be discharged home directly after surgery again.

Although some patients who live alone can benefit from home health services or even an extra day in the hospital, discharge directly home for joint replacement postoperative rehabilitation may be a much more economical and comfortable choice than routinely sending them for inpatient rehabilitation – while also avoiding the believed associated risks.

Dr. Stickney, a Kirkland orthopedic surgeon, is an expert in exercise and health, joint replacement surgery, sports medicine and more. Contact Dr. Stickney and return to your healthy, pain-free lifestyle!

Does Timing for Total Joint Surgery Matter?

Posted in Joint Replacement, News and Events Leave a comment

TJA-importanceWhile choosing whether or not to get total joint arthroplasty (TJA) can be a difficult and daunting decision, new research shows that delaying it may have a negative impact on postoperative outcomes. Carlos J. Lavernia, MD, who helmed a study evaluating pre- and postoperative functioning, presented his findings at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons’ (AAHKS) annual meeting.

Previously, Dr. Lavernia had studied TJA patients and found those with lower preoperative functioning had worse short-term self-reported outcomes after surgery than their higher preoperative functioning peers. Interested in examining the long-term impacts, Dr. Lavernia and his team looked at 105 patients from the original group and split them into those who were severely functionally impaired versus those who were functionally impaired. The demographics for both groups were very similar, though the first was 40% female and the latter was 73.8% female.

The patients had an average age of 65 years and 54 had total hip arthroplasties while 51 had total knee arthroplasties. The mean follow-up period for all patients was 11.2 years, 13 had revision surgery, and 43 passed away. However, there did not seem to be significant differences in revision or mortality statistics between the severely functionally impaired and functionally impaired groups.

The research team calculated scores using the Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index, Short Form 36, and the Quality of Well Being Scale both pre- and post-operation. They found that while all scores improved after surgery, those who had lower preoperative scores continued to have worse hip and knee surgical outcomes after the arthroplasty.

“We found that those who allowed their function to deteriorate significantly before undergoing TJA did not fully ‘catch up’ to patients who underwent surgery at an earlier disease stage,” Dr. Lavernia said.

This research emphasizes the importance of undergoing TJA earlier rather than later and treating the disease as early in its course as possible. Consulting an orthopedic surgeon can help you determine if surgery may be the appropriate intervention.

Concerned about joint pain? Wondering if orthopedic surgery is the right choice for you? Curious about hip or knee postoperative rehabilitation? Dr. Stickney is a Kirkland orthopedic surgeon who can help you return to an active, healthy lifestyle. Contact his office today at 425.823.4000 to learn about the surgical and nonsurgical options best for you.