Lowe CJ, Barker KL, Dewey M, Sackley CM
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy exercise after elective primary total knee arthroplasty in patients with osteoarthritis. Randomised controlled trials were reviewed if they included a physiotherapy exercise intervention compared with usual or standard physiotherapy care, or compared two types of exercise physiotherapy interventions meeting the review criteria, after discharge from hospital after elective primary total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis. Six trials were identified and meta-analyses showed that functional exercise for three to four months postoperatively may be beneficial for function, range of joint motion and quality of life, but the benefits of treatment were no longer evident at one year.
Interventions including physiotherapy functional exercises after discharge result in short term benefit after elective primary total knee arthroplasty. Effect sizes are small to moderate, with no long term benefit.
BMJ. 2007, 335(7624), 786