Total Knee Replacement (TKR) has been proven to be an effective procedure not only to eliminate pain but also to achieve better knee function. Recent rehabilitation is basically focused on achieving better ROM and muscle strength. However, improvements of balancing or walking ability in detail have not been sufficiently elucidated yet. 91 consecutive knees of 70 patients, with medial osteoarthritis undergone TKR have been nominated in this study. All were done by a single surgeon, via mid vastus approach, using cemented PS implant with patellar resurfacing. Patients were arrowed to start full weight bearing from the next day. Assessing walking ability, gait speed and width of a step were measured. As for balancing, “Functional Reach (FR)” which was the difference between arm's length and maximal forward reach (Duncan PW et al), “Timed Up and Go Test (TUG)” which was time while a patient rose from an arm chair, walked 3 meters, turned, walked back, and sat down again (Podsiadlo D et al), and possible period standing on one leg (one leg standing) were used. Every measurement was performed prior to the operation, 1,2,3,4 weeks, 2 months and 6 months after operation. Data of prior to the operation, 2, and 6 monts after the operation were analyzed by one-way repeated ANOVA, and then differences among means were analyzed using Bonferroni procedures. P-value lower than 5% is regarded as significant. Every result except for one-leg standing time on contralateral leg (non-operative side) showed the worst during the first week, followed by better results over time (Fig. 1,2,3). One leg standing time of operative leg reached maximum at 2 months of time, while the others revealed improvement even at 6 months of time. Interestingly, postoperative one leg standing period of contra-lateral leg showed improvement with similar tendency until 4 weeks, followed by reaching plateau over time.Methods
Result
Patients who have undergone Total Knee Replacement (TKR) improve their knee functions with time dependent recovery. However, the speed and degree of recovery widely varies from person to person. Practitioners generally find that postoperative satisfaction after TKR is closely related to the degree of preoperative severity in deformity. We focused on preoperative FTA to determine how the degree of deformity affects postoperative improvements after TKR. 44 consecutive knees of 44 patients with medial osteoarthritis underwent TKR for nomination in this study. All operations were conducted by a single surgeon using a mid vastus approach with cemented posterior stabilized (PS) implant and patellar resurfacing. Patients were targeted for full weight bearing the next day. Patients were divided into 3 groups of preoperative FTA: 174–180 degrees (11 knees), 181–189 degrees (17 knees), and more than 190 degrees (16 knees). Walking ability was assessed by gait speed and width of step. Balance was measured by a “Functional Reach Test (FR),” which is the difference between arm's length and maximal forward reach (Duncan PW et al. 1990), a “Timed Up and Go Test (TUG),” the time interval for a patient rise from an arm chair, walk 3 meters, and return (Podsiadlo and Richardson 1991), and the capacity to stand on one leg (one leg standing time trial). Every measurement was performed prior to the operation (pre-op), and 4 weeks after operation (post-op 4w). The recovery rate (%) was defined as post-op 4w/pre-op ×100. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, and then differences among means were analyzed using Bonferroni procedures. The recovery rate of walking speed and TUG showed significant improvement in the FTA more than >190 degree group than that of 174–180 degree group. Every other result showed a higher recovery rate for the >190 degree group, although results were not statistically significant.Methods:
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