2019 ISAKOS Biennial Congress Paper #209
High Range of Motion in the First Ten Postoperative Days After TKA Does Not Predict Superior Outcome in the Long Run
Michael C. Liebensteiner, MD, PhD, Innsbruck, Tyrol AUSTRIA
Tobias Roth, MD, Innsbruck, Tyrol AUSTRIA
Paul Köglberger, MD, Innsbruck, Tyrol AUSTRIA
Alexander Wurm, MD, Innsbruck, Tyrol AUSTRIA
Martin Krismer, Prof., Grinzens, Tyrol AUSTRIA
Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Tyrol, AUSTRIA
FDA Status Cleared
Summary
From the main findings that early postoperative ROM did not influence long-term knee score outcome or long-term ROM after TKA, it does not seem necessary to force ROM gain too strongly in the initial postoperative days.
Abstract
Purpose
To retrospectively investigate the early postoperative range of motion (ROM) (days 4, 7, 10) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and to test for associations a) with long-term outcome in terms of ROM and b) with a disease-specific knee score.
Methods
A retrospective analysis was performed in patients with previous primary TKA. Data taken from the medical records were ROM from preoperative and postoperative days 4, 7 and 10 and 1 year. As patient-reported outcome the Western Ontario and MacMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC Score) was taken from preoperative and one year after TKA.
Results
316 patients (330 knees) were available. No relevant correlations were determined between ROM at twelve months postoperative and ROM in the early postoperative days (days 4, 7, 10). Similarly, no relevant correlations were determined between ROM in the early postoperative days (days 4, 7, 10) and the 1-year WOMAC.
Conclusion
From the main findings that early postoperative ROM did not influence long-term knee score outcome or long-term ROM after TKA, it does not seem necessary to force ROM gain too strongly in the initial postoperative days. Probably, preoperative ROM and proper biomechanics of the TKA are predictors of much greater importance than is steepness of ROM ascent in the early postoperative period.