Article

Clinical course and outcome connected to rehabilitation after hip or
knee arthroplasty have been studied extensively, but few studies have assessed
the content of team rehabilitation care for these patients. The purpose of this study was to provide a thorough description of the structure,
process, and outcome of team rehabilitation care for patients with hip or knee
arthroplasty for osteoarthritis. DESIGN: This was a multicenter, longitudinal
observational study.
METHODS: Patients (N=183) from 6 rehabilitation centers in
Norway who were undergoing inpatient rehabilitation following hip or knee
arthroplasty were included in the study. Structure and process components were
recorded by participants and health care professionals in a patient diary.
Participants also completed questionnaires regarding their experiences during
their rehabilitation stay and recorded data for outcome measures at admission, at
discharge, and 6 months after discharge. The main outcome measures were pain
intensity and physical function, as assessed with the physical function scale of
the Medical OUTCOMES: Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTS:
Data were complete for 172 participants (94%) at discharge and for 148 patients
(81%) at the 6-month follow-up. Health care professionals, physical therapists,
nurses, and physicians were most often involved in team care. Occupational
therapists, social workers, and psychologists were seldom part of the
rehabilitation team. Exercises provided by physical therapists were the most
common treatment modality. Patient education, massage, and manual therapy also
frequently were provided. The participants were very satisfied with their care
and its organization, information, and communication and with the availability of
health care professionals. They were moderately satisfied with the social
environment of the rehabilitation setting. The participants had large
improvements in the outcome measures during the rehabilitation stay and at the
6-month follow-up. LIMITATIONS: For typical physical therapy modalities such as
exercises, electrotherapy, and acupuncture, there are limited descriptions and
assessments of treatment doses. CONCLUSIONS: Current team rehabilitation care
involves a traditional team with physical therapists, nurses, and physicians.
Several types of treatment modalities are used, with greatest emphasis on
physical training. This detailed description of current team rehabilitation
practice might help clinicians and researchers in planning clinical trials within
a rehabilitation setting, as well as in improving rehabilitation practice.

Langue : ANGLAIS