Post-acute physiotherapy for primary total knee arthroplasty

The aim of this review is to determine the effectiveness of post-acute PT for patients who have undergone a primary TKA for OA on patient-centred outcomes of pain, physical function and HRQOL. Various forms of PT and types of clinical settings will be compared to routine care, non-supervised or self-directed therapy and alternative PT approaches.

Specific objectives are:

1. To examine the short- and long-term effects of post-acute PT on patient centred outcomes of pain, physical function and HRQOL.
2. To compare outcomes across different patient characteristics, clinical settings, treatment approaches and timing.
3. To determine clinical relevance of the research findings and translate findings into best practice recommendations.
4. To identify gaps in the published literature to develop a research agenda for rehabilitation for the TKA population.

This is a protocol.