EFFECTS of EARLY REHABILITATION PROTOCOL POST HIGH FLEX CRUCIATE RETAINING TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT on RANGE of MOTION, PAIN and FUNCTION: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to find the effects of early rehabilitation on high flex cruciate retaining total knee replacement (TKR) on pain and function. Methods: We designed a prospective pre-post trial and evaluated 34 participants who underwent unilateral TKR following end stage knee osteoarthritis. Outcome measure of numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), knee ROM, quadriceps strength and functional measure of timed up and go test (TUG) and six-minute walk test (SMWT) was assessed before and three months post surgery by a blinded observer. Results: The knee flexion ROM showed significant improvement of 25.1°±11.2° at 3-months. The NPRS, TUG and SMWT showed significant change of 6.47±0.92, 21.7±2.6, 157.7±31 from baseline to 1.3±0.8, 17.5±1.6, 263±37.9 at 3 months respectively following TKR (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Early rehabilitation showed improvement in knee ROM, pain reduction, and accelerated recovery in performing TUG and SMWT.