Biomechanical deficits in patients at 3 months following total knee arthroplasty

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lee, In-Hee

Affiliations: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University, 56 Dalseong-Ro Jung-Gu, Daegu 700-712, Korea. Tel.: +82 10 4783 8001; E-mail: einhee@email.com

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate functional biomechanics in patients who undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. DISCUSSION: 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.

Keywords: Total knee arthroplasty, biomechanics, gait

DOI: 10.3233/BMR-150635

Journal: Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 439-444, 2016