title: The older worker with osteoarthritis of the knee.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Changing demographics mean that many patients with large joint arthritis will work beyond traditional retirement age. This review considers the impact of knee osteoarthritis (OA) on work participation and the relation between work and total knee replacement (TKR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two systematic searches in Embase and Medline, supplemented by three systematic reviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Probably, although evidence is limited, knee OA considerably impairs participation in work (labour force participation, work attendance and work productivity). AREAS OF UNCERTAINTY/RESEARCH NEED: Little is known about effective interventions (treatments, work changes and policies) to improve vocational participation in patients with knee OA; or how type of work affects long-term clinical outcomes (e.g. pain, function and the need for revision surgery) in patients with TKRs. The need for such research is pressing and opportune, as increasing numbers of patients with knee OA or TKR expect to work on.
authors.affiliation: MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, UK. ktp@mrc.soton.ac.uk
authors.forename: Keith T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004651:Employment; D006801:Humans; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome