Relationship between early outcomes of physiotherapy after total knee replacement and Body Mass Index (BMI)

Anna Kwolek
Sławomir Snela
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Paweł Jaźwa
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Arkadiusz Bielecki
Z Instytutu Fizjoterapii Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego
Institute of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rzeszow, Rzeszow, Poland
Institute of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszow, Poland
Oddział Ortopedii i Traumatologii Narządu Ruchu Szpitala Wojewódzkiego nr 2 w Rzeszowie oraz Instytut Fizjoterapii Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego

Abstract

Background: We undertook to study the dependency between the Body Mass Index (BMI) and early results of physiotherapy after total knee replacement. Material and Methods: Our research involved 19 patients after total knee replacement. The clinical and functional outcomes of 13 obese patients with BMI > 29,9 were compared with the results of a matched group of 6 patients with BMI ≤ 29,9. The Knee Society Score and 6 Minutes Walking Test were used to assess function of patient and function of operated knee. The patients were examined twice: at baseline before the surgery and 4 weeks after surgery, as follow-up. Results: There was a statistically significant increase of KSS scores after surgery in all patients. Average increase was 35,7 scores in obese patients and 44,1 scores in nonobese patients. There wasn’t a statistically significant difference between obese and nonobese patients in postoperative KSS scores. There wasn’t significant increase of distance and average walking speed 4 weeks after surgery. We observed shortening of resting time in walking test in both groups of patients but in nonobese patients it was significant by shorter. Conclusions: There was a significant improvement of clinical state in all patients after total knee arthroplasty and physiotherapy. There wasn’t statistically significant correlation between obesity and early results of physiotherapy after total knee replacement.

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