Rehabilitation Following Total Knee Arthroplasty

Summary

Total knee arthroplasty consistently provides favorable outcomes of reduced pain, improved function, and enhanced quality of life for arthritic patients. Although the technical aspects of the operative procedure contribute greatly to the outcome, perioperative rehabilitation remains an important adjunct. Successful rehabilitation involves the collaborative efforts of the surgeon, physical therapist, nursing staff, and patient. Rehabilitation protocols should be specific to reduce ambiguity, yet flexible to accommodate differences in patient characteristics. Critical pathways have been designed to move patients through acute care in a more rapid manner, and in most cases they rely on subacute care facilities to complete patient rehabilitation. This has led to a significant increase in the use of extended care, rehabilitation, and transitional care facilities in order to reduce length of stay and cost while still optimizing the functional outcome after total knee arthroplasty.