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Continuous passive motion in the rehabilitation setting. A retrospective study
S F Nadler1, G A Malanga, J R Zimmerman
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey School of Medicine, Newark.
Summary
Continuous passive motion (CPM) offers no additional benefit for patients after single knee replacement in rehabilitation. However, CPM may improve range of motion for those undergoing bilateral knee replacement surgery.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Continuous passive motion (CPM) is frequently utilized postoperatively for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients.
- Studies in acute care settings suggest CPM improves range of motion and reduces hospital stay.
- The efficacy of CPM in inpatient rehabilitation settings remains under-investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of continuous passive motion (CPM) in the rehabilitation phase following total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
- To compare outcomes between TKA patients receiving CPM plus physical therapy versus physical therapy alone.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of 61 TKA patients admitted to a rehabilitation facility.
- Patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 (CPM + physical therapy) and Group 2 (physical therapy only).
- Outcomes measured included passive range of motion (PROM) and length of stay; subgroup analysis for bilateral replacements was performed.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in PROM or length of stay was observed between the CPM and non-CPM groups for single knee replacements.
- For bilateral knee replacements, the CPM group showed a greater average increase in PROM (20.1 degrees) compared to the non-CPM group (12.7 degrees), though not statistically significant (P=0.18).
- A power analysis indicated a need for larger sample sizes (50 patients per subgroup) to achieve statistical significance.
Conclusions:
- Continuous passive motion (CPM) provides no discernible added benefit for patients undergoing rehabilitation after a single total knee replacement.
- CPM may offer potential benefits for improving range of motion in patients recovering from bilateral knee replacements, warranting further investigation with larger cohorts.