title: Evaluation of improvement in quality of life and physical activity after total knee arthroplasty in greek elderly women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in quality of life of patients after total knee arthroplasty and to assess the changes in physical activity by using a self-reported questionnaire and by counting the number of steps 3-6 months after post-operatively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Included were fifty two elderly women (age 72.6±65.9 years, mean±SD) with knee osteoarthritis undergoing primary knee arthroplasty. Health-related quality of life, physical activity, pain and function and the number of steps were assessed before, 3 and 6 months post-operatively. We used the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36), the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) and the pedometer SW200 Digiwalker of Yamax.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients showed a significant improvement (p< 0.01, η2 =0.22) in health-related quality of life, particularly in physical function, (p<0 .001) body pain (p< 0.001) and vitality scale (p< 0.001) of SF-36 at 3 and 6 months after the procedure. Physical activity (PASE score) increased at 3 and 6 months after arthroplasty (p< 0.001, η2 =0.74), and the number of steps increased 6 months after, compared to the assessment that took place 3 months after operation (p< 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that total knee arthroplasty leads to a gradual improvement in quality of life of elderly patients over the first 6 post-operative months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, General Hospital Amalia Fleming, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Th
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsonga
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kapetanakis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Papathanasiou
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mourgias
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Georgiou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiska
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kazakos