Effectiveness of a Physical Therapist-Administered Physical Activity Intervention After Total Knee Replacement: A...

While total knee replacement (TKR) is the definitive treatment for knee osteoarthritis, physical activity remains unchanged after surgery.

The objective of this trial was to examine the efficacy of a physical therapist-administered physical activity intervention to increase moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) over 6 months for adults after TKR.

This was a randomized controlled trial.

The study took place in an outpatient physical therapist clinic.

Included were 120 adults over the age of 45 years seeking outpatient physical therapy following a unilateral TKR.

Participants received standardized physical therapy after TKR and a wearable activity tracking device, individualized step goals, and face-to-face feedback provided by a physical therapist (intervention), or standardized physical therapy alone (control).

The primary outcome was change in MVPA recorded by a hip-worn Actigraph GT3X accelerometer from baseline to 6 months after discharge from physical therapy.

Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity similarly increased from baseline to 6 months within the intervention (median = 6.0 minutes per day [semi-interquartile range = 11.9]) and control group (median = 5.9 minutes per day [semi-interquartile range = 14.3]). There was no between-group difference in MVPA change over time.

A physical therapist-administered physical activity intervention resulted in a similar increase in MVPA over 6 months compared to standardized physical therapy for adults after TKR.

Adding a wearable activity tracking device and individualized step goals may not increase physical activity for adults after TKR receiving outpatient physical therapy.