Quantifying the relative change in physical activity after Total Knee Arthroplasty using accelerometer based...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics and Rehabilitation
• Biomedical Engineering
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability in Americans over 65, with significant economic impact.
• Current assessments of osteoarthritis patient function rely on subjective patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), which are inadequate for evaluating total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) outcomes.
• Hospitalizations for TKA and THA account for nearly half of osteoarthritis care costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility of using wearable activity monitors for objective physical function assessment in osteoarthritis.
• To demonstrate the utility of accelerometer-derived data for quantifying changes in physical activity patterns.
• To provide a more reliable and responsive method for measuring outcomes after TKA and THA.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) cohort.
• Employed accelerometer measurements from wearable activity monitors to capture daily physical activity.
• Analyzed data to quantify relative changes in physical activity patterns.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the feasibility of using accelerometer data to objectively assess physical activity in osteoarthritis patients.
• Showcased the ability to quantify relative changes in physical activity patterns over time.
• Provided a foundation for objective, data-driven assessment of osteoarthritis patient function.

Conclusions:

• Accelerometer-based wearable activity monitors present a novel and objective approach to assess physical function in osteoarthritis.
• This method offers a more reliable and responsive alternative to subjective PROMs for evaluating treatment outcomes, particularly after TKA and THA.
• Objective physical activity monitoring can enhance the management and evaluation of osteoarthritis care.