Efficacy of a 12-month, monitored home exercise programme compared with normal care commencing 2 months after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of a delayed home exercise programme compared with normal care after primary total knee arthroplasty.


METHODS
Single-blind, prospective, randomized, controlled trial.


METHODS
A total of 108 participants (61% females, mean age 69 years [standard deviation 8.7]), were randomized to a home-based exercise group (EG, n = 53) or to a control group (CG, n = 55).


METHODS
Two months post-operatively, the EG received a home exercise programme, while the CG received no additional guidance. The outcome measurements were: pain and disability, measured using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC); health-related quality of life (HRQoL), measured using the Short Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36); maximal walking speed; isometric knee muscle strength; and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. Measurements were made at baseline and at 12 months thereafter.


RESULTS
At the 12-month follow-up, maximal walking speed (p < 0.001) and knee flexion strength (p = 0.009) were significantly greater in the EG. Both groups showed similar improvements in all of the WOMAC subscale scores, the SF-36 summary scores and the TUG time.


CONCLUSIONS
Home-based training was not superior to normal care with regard to pain, disability or HRQoL, but resulted in greater improvement in objectively measured physical performance.
Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Jyväskylä Central Hospital, Keskussairaalantie 19, FI-40620 Jyväskylä, Finland.
Mirja
M
Vuorenmaa
Jari
J
Ylinen
Kirsi
K
Piitulainen
Petri
P
Salo
Hannu
H
Kautiainen
Maija
M
Pesola
Arja
A
Häkkinen
D000368:Aged; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome