Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of additional balance training on
mobility and function outcome in patients with knee osteoarthritis after total
knee replacement. DESIGN:
A prospective intervention study and randomized
controlled trial. SETTING: A university-based teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS:
Patients who received total knee replacement surgery were recruited sequentially
from the orthopedic department. They were randomly assigned to either the
experimental group or control group. INTERVENTIONS:
The control group received
conventional function training for eight weeks. The experimental group not only
received the same conventional training as the control group, but also received
additional balance exercises in each admission. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Before and
after training we took the following measurements: distance of functional forward
reach; duration of single leg stance; timed sit-to-stand test; timed up-and-down
stair test; timed 10-m walk; timed up-and-go test; and the Western Ontario and
McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score. RESULTS: 58 patients in the
experimental group with a mean (SD) age of 71.4 (6.6) years and 55 in the control
group with mean (SD) age of 72.9 (7.3) years, completed the study. After
eight-weeks intervention with additional balance exercises, the experimental
group demonstrated significant changes in 10-m walk (P < 0.001, 95% confidence
interval (CI): 3.6 to 4.4 seconds) and in timed up-and-go (P < 0.001, 95%
confidence interval: 2.6 to 3.4 seconds) tests. Significant changes of all other
measures and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score
were also observed in the experimental group (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSION:
Additional balance training exerted a significant beneficial effect on the
function recovery and mobility outcome in patients with knee osteoarthritis after
total knee replacement.

Langue : ANGLAIS