In-home versus hospital preoperative balance and proprioceptive training in patients undergoing TKR; rationale, design, and method of a randomized controlled trial

Effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and both sides up ball exercise on pain level, range of motion, muscle function after total knee arthroplasty

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease caused tearing and progressive wear of articular cartilage, and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is recommended to patients with OA. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) and both sides up ball (BOSU) exercises on pain, range of motion (ROM), and muscle function in patients following TKA. Ten participants who have limitation of the knee joint from TKA were divided into two groups: the continuous passive motion (CPM)+PNF exercise group (n=5) and the CPM+BOUS exercise group (n=5). Exercise rehabilitation program consisted of PNF and BOSU exercises, and both exercises were performed twice a day for 2 weeks. To examine effect of exercise rehabilitation, visual analogue scale (VAS), sit and reach flexibility, knee ROM, and Timed Up and Go test (TUG) were measured before and after exercise intervention. A two-way repeated analysis of variance was used to confirm the main effect. If there was a significant interaction effect, an independent t-test between groups or a paired t-test between times was applied. VAS, sit and reach flexibility, knee ROM and TUG did not show interaction between the PNF and BOSU exercise groups, but all measured variables showed significant differences over time. Present findings provide information that PNF and BOSU exercise rehabilitation after TKA might be an important part of ensuring successful surgical outcomes as they have a positive impact on reducing pain, increasing ROM, improving muscle strength, and enhancing daily life movements.

Cost-effectiveness of prehabilitation prior to elective surgery: a systematic review of economic evaluations

BACKGROUND

Prehabilitation aims at enhancing patients' functional capacity and overall health status to enable them to withstand a forthcoming stressor like surgery. Our aim was to synthesise the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of prehabilitation for patients awaiting elective surgery compared with usual preoperative care.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Embase, the CRD database, ClinicalTrials.gov, the WHO ICTRP and the dissertation databases OADT and DART. Studies comparing prehabilitation for patients with elective surgery to usual preoperative care were included if they reported cost outcomes. All types of economic evaluations (EEs) were included. The primary outcome of the review was cost-effectiveness based on cost-utility analyses (CUAs). The risk of bias of trial-based EEs was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias 2 tool and the ROBINS-I tool and the credibility of model-based EEs with the ISPOR checklist. Methodological quality of full EEs was assessed using the CHEC checklist. The EEs' results were synthesised narratively using vote counting based on direction of effect.

RESULTS

We included 45 unique studies: 25 completed EEs and 20 ongoing studies. Of the completed EEs, 22 were trial-based and three model-based, corresponding to four CUAs, three cost-effectiveness analyses, two cost-benefit analyses, 12 cost-consequence analyses and four cost-minimization analyses. Three of the four trial-based CUAs (75%) found prehabilitation cost-effective, i.e. more effective and/or less costly than usual care. Overall, 16/25 (64.0%) EEs found prehabilitation cost-effective. When excluding studies of insufficient credibility/critical risk of bias, this number reduced to 14/23 (60.9%). In 8/25 (32.0%), cost-effectiveness was unclear, e.g. because prehabilitation was more effective and more costly, and in one EE prehabilitation was not cost-effective.

CONCLUSIONS

We found some evidence that prehabilitation for patients awaiting elective surgery is cost-effective compared to usual preoperative care. However, we suspect a relevant risk of publication bias, and most EEs were of high risk of bias and/or low methodological quality. Furthermore, there was relevant heterogeneity depending on the population, intervention and methods. Future EEs should be performed over a longer time horizon and apply a more comprehensive perspective.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020182813.

Effectiveness of using a chatbot to promote adherence to home physiotherapy after total knee replacement, rationale and design of a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Rehabilitation is essential to optimize outcomes after surgical procedures in musculoskeletal disorders. However, adherence to rehabilitation continues to be an important barrier, since compliance with the programs is not always as desired, which may have a negative impact on clinical results.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trial aimed at to determining the effectiveness of using a virtual assistant (i.e., chatbot) to promote adherence to home rehabilitation. Overall, seventy patients under 75, undergoing total knee replacement, who have a personal smartphone and are familiar with its use, will be assigned into the control (standard care) or the experimental (standard care plus virtual assistant) group. Adherence (primary outcome) will be assessed three months after surgery. The WOMAC questionnaire, knee pain and system usability scale will be also outcomes of interest at three months and one year. Overall, an analysis of variance will look for possible time, group and time*group interactions.

DISCUSSION

The expected result is to determine whether the use of a chatbot that interacts with the patient can increase adherence to post-surgical home physiotherapy, and result in better clinical results (functional and pain) than standard care.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov id. NCT05363137.

The effects of preoperative balance training on balance and functional outcome after total knee replacement: a randomized controlled trial

Objective:

To assess the effects of preoperative balance training on the early postoperative balance and functional outcomes after total knee replacement surgery and to test whether an outpatient intervention may be as effective as a domiciliary intervention.

Design:

This is a three-arm randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

University hospital.

Subjects:

Eighty-six individuals were recruited. Seventy-seven were analysed, aged 72.1 (SD 7.6) years, of which 68% were women.

Outcome measures:

Overall state of balance, as measured with the Berg Balance Scale, and patient-perceived functionality, as measured with the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Function in Activities in Daily Living (KOOS-ADL) questionnaire, were the primary outcomes. Secondary assessments targeted knee function, balance and mobility, quality of life, and self-reported outcomes. The primary end-point was six weeks after surgery.

Intervention:

The hospital group implemented a four-week preoperative outpatient balance-oriented intervention. The home group implemented similar training, but this was domiciliary. The control group was instructed to keep performing their normal activities.

Results:

Home and hospital groups presented a moderate effect against the control group ( dhospital-control = 0.54; dhome-control = 0.63), both being similarly effective in improving the overall state of balance at six weeks after surgery ( P = 0.013). KOOS-ADL scores showed no between-group differences and a small effect size ( d < 0.5; P = 0.937). Secondary assessments suggested non-significant between-group differences.

Conclusion:

Preoperative balance training, conducted either as domiciliary or as an outpatient, is an effective approach to enhance early postoperative balance outcome but not the perceived functionality of individuals undergoing total knee replacement.