Biomechanical deficits in patients at 3 months following total knee arthroplasty

This study aimed to evaluate functional biomechanics in patients who undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Lower limb joint kinematics and kinetics were evaluated in 25 TKA patients at 3 months following TKA and 25 age-matched controls after 12 months following TKA. Participants were evaluated in a gait laboratory, with self-selected gait speed.

Experimental group walked significantly slower (p < 0.01), using a shorter stride length (p < 0.01), compared to those for the controls. The experimental group exhibited significantly greater knee motion, lower knee extension moment (p < 0.01), and lower peak power generation (p < 0.01) compared to those for the control group. Additionally, the TKA group showed significantly smaller peak ankle motion (p < 0.01), lower ankle dorsiflexion moments (p < 0.05), and ankle power generation (p < 0.01) compared to those for the control group.

These biomechanical properties of gait in the experimental group may be a compensatory response to lesser recovered knee function to allow sufficient power generation for propulsion. Therefore, rehabilitative strategies at 3 months following TKA are needed to improve not only knee function but also hip and ankle function after TKA.