Application of Pre-operative Physiotherapy on the outcomes from patients undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA)

Abstract

Pre-operative physiotherapy was shown to improve muscle strength and balance after knee joint replacements, improving patients' functional performances. This effect was demonstrated mainly strengthening exercises though Resistance training was also shown to improve muscle strength in general; yet further research is needed to determine the different effects of Resistance training after knee joint replacements. Conflicting results concerning pre-operative physiotherapy on pain reduction and ROM after knee joint replacements can be explained using the outcome measures. The moderate quality of the studies and the limitation of evidence. These conflicts do not mean that pre-operative physiotherapy does not affect pain and ROM reduction, just that while some effects were found, more research is still needed to confirm and generalize these effects. The evidence concerning pre-operative physiotherapy and joint replacements are limited; many aspects are still vague and have not yet been researched despite their importance, such as the effect of other forms of exercises, the characteristics of pre-operative physiotherapy used, the different effect of pre-operative physiotherapy, and many others. Therefore, more research is needed to investigate these aspects and establish guidelines for pre-operative physiotherapy modalities after knee joint replacement. In conclusion, this review recommends using pre-operative physiotherapy as a part of the pre- rehabilitation program before knee joint replacements