title: Treatment of severe flexion deficits following total knee arthroplasty: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether passive knee flexion and knee-specific outcome scores differ in TKA patients experiencing arthrofibrosis treated with differing intensity of stretch exercises.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized Controlled Trial
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients who volunteered and met inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to an intervention group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Group 1 received high-intensity stretch home mechanical therapy (n = 11) and Group 2 received low-intensity stretch home mechanical therapy (n = 9).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HIS group demonstrated significantly greater gains in both passive knee flexion and outcome scores. The change in passive knee flexion significantly correlated with the change in outcome scores, and a significantly greater number of patients in the HIS group (91%) were able to achieve a functional range of motion >110° than those in the LIS group (22%, p < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of postoperative arthrofibrosis with an HIS home mechanical therapy device was more effective and resulted in significantly improved outcomes when compared with LIS devices.
authors.affiliation: University Physical Therapy, Decatur, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Basil A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Papotto
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mills
mesh_terms: D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D006801:Humans; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular