Research and News
Posts tagged total knee replacement
Improving Function after Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) with Balance Training
May 31st
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Exercises with Thera-Band elastic bands have been shown effective at improving strength and function in knee osteoarthritis patients before total knee replacement (TKR) surgery. Dr. Robert Topp and his colleagues have published several research papers on their “prehabilitation” pre-operative exercise program using Thera-Band that benefits total knee replacement patients before and after surgery.
Knee osteoarthritis patients are expected to receive 3 million total knee replacements per year by 2020 in the United States. Unfortunately, over one third of total knee patients experience deficits in function one year after surgery (Franklin et al 2008). Few exercise intervention studies have evaluated the effectiveness of balance training in combination with traditional rehabilitation exercises after early post-operative rehabilitation. Most total knee replacement patients receive in-patient exercises and some outpatient rehabilitation for a few months after surgery. Previous research has suggested that total knee rehabilitation patients plateau at 3 months after surgery (Mizner et al. 2005).
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh wanted to determine the feasibility of a balance exercise program in total knee replacement patients 2 to 6 months post-surgery. They randomly assigned 43 patients to either a ‘functional’ training More >
Prehabilitation exercise for total knee replacement helps patients with severe end-stage arthritis
Feb 22nd
“Prehabilitation” refers to exercise performed before surgery that helps reduce functional decline after surgery. The theory is that a higher level of function pre-operatively will provide a higher level of function post-operatively, thus shortening the rehabilitation process. Prehabilitation exercise has been shown effective at preventing functional decline in frail elderly individuals (Gill et al. 2002).
For the past 4 years , Dr. Robert Topp and his colleagues at the University of Louisville have been researching the effects of a “prehab” program for patients scheduled for total knee replacement surgery. Their exercise program features progressive Thera-Band resistance exercises performed over a period of 4 to 8 weeks before surgery. Last year, I featured Dr. Topp’s prehabilitation program in the Academy Blog after his publication in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Most recently, Dr. Topp’s colleague, Dr. Ann Swank was the lead author on a paper in the February 2011 issue of Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. The article described the pre-operative outcomes of 71 patients with severe knee arthritis who had pain that didn’t respond to medication. The patients were randomly assigned to either a control group or a 4 to 8 week prehab exercise group prior to total knee replacement surgery.
Patients were tested More >
Case Study: Thera-Band® prehabilitation for total knee replacement effective
Nov 2nd
Thera-Band® exercises for knee osteoarthritis using have been shown in several studies to reduce pain and increase strength and function (Thomas et al. 2002, Topp et al. 2002). Dr. Robert Topp and his colleagues at the University of Louisville have been investigating the role of exercise in knee arthritis patients for several years. Most recently, they have researched the effects of “prehabilitation,” which are exercises performed before total knee replacement surgery. The results of their program have been published in several articles and featured on the Academy blog.
Dr. Topp’s colleague, Dr. Kent Brown recently published a case report on a 69 year old patient who underwent two separate total knee replacement surgeries. Her first surgery on the right knee was preceded with “usual” care (no prehab), while her left knee replacement was preceded by 4 weeks of prehab. The prehab program focused on knee strengthening exercises using Thera-Band resistance bands.
After prehab, the patient had significant improvements in function and strength before and after her left knee surgery compared to her previous non-prehab right knee replacement. The authors suggested at an extended period of prehab (greater than 4 weeks) would have resulted in even more improvement. This case study supports the effectiveness More >
More evidence that “prehab” works for total knee replacements
Oct 13th
Total knee replacement is becoming more common for treating advanced knee osteoarthritis. Dr. Robert Topp and his colleagues at the University of Louisville continue to research the effects of “prehabilitation” by providing exercises before total knee replacement surgery. He presented his current results at the 2010 Thera-Band Research Advisory Committee (TRAC) meeting. “Pre-operative exercises for total knee replacement help speed post-operative recovery by increasing initial levels of strength and function,” Dr. Topp stated. The randomized controlled study examined 18 patients who were assigned either to a control group or a “prehab” group that performed Thera-Band strength and balance exercises, stepping exercises, and flexibility training. The prehab group performed significantly better than the control group on functional tests both before and after surgery. These findings suggest that exercises before total knee replacement surgery may help speed recovery, reduce recovery time, and reduce healthcare costs; their ongoing prehab study hopes to validate some of these answers.
Visit the Thera-Band Academy Total Knee Replacement Resource Center Here
Thera-Band® exercise program for total knee replacement featured in Lower Extremity Review
Jun 15th
Ongoing research at the University of Louisville and Bellarmine University is investigating the effectiveness of Thera-Band® resistance band exercises before surgery for total knee arthroplasty (TKA). “Prehabilitation” consists of pre-operative exercises that are meant to improve strength and functional levels before surgery with the expectation of better rehabilitation and a faster recovery after surgery.
The TKA Prehab Program was recently featured in an article in the March 2010 edition of Lower Extremity Review. The program utilizes Thera-Band resistance bands, step-up exercises, and stretching exercises. A full-color printable handout of the program is available online.
Reference: Brown K et al. 2010. Preoperative exercise boosts TKA outcomes. Lower Extremity Review: March 2010.
Visit the Thera-Band Academy Total Knee Replacement Center Here
