title: A comparison of kneeling ability after lateral or midline incisions in total knee arthroplasty.
abstract: Kneeling is often impaired following total knee replacement. There is no clinical study comparing a lateral to a midline skin incision with regard to kneeling. Patients with a well-functioning total knee replacement enrolled in the trial. The participants with a lateral skin incision were matched with those with a standard midline incision. Twenty-two patients were enrolled in the study: 10 had a lateral skin incision, and 12 had a midline incision. Those with a lateral skin incision had a significantly higher Forgotten Joint Score than with a midline skin incision (Difference of Means Lateral vs Midline = 10.9 [p value 0.0098]), and an improved ability to kneel at 110 degrees of flexion (Kneeling Ability Test; Difference of Means Lateral vs Midline = 41.7 [p value 0.020]). These results suggest that a lateral skin incision may provide reduced joint awareness and improved kneeling ability. Further investigation with a randomised controlled trial is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, 6000, Australia. Nicholas.calvert@health.wa.gov.au.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Calvert
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, 6000, Australia.
authors.forename: Lachlan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Milne
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, 6000, Australia.|University of Western Australia, Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6069, Australia.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuster
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D001315:Australia; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000601:surgery*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function
keywords: Incision; Kneeling; Total knee arthroplasty