Effect of home exercise programme on thigh muscle strength before total knee arthroplasty

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of home exercise programme (HEP) on thigh muscle strength in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) before unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
Five female OA patients with mean age 67.8±5.9 years participated in the study. Isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force of the quadriceps femoris (QF) and hamstring (HM) muscles was measured by hand-held dynamometry. Knee active range of motion (aROM) in flexion was measured by goniometer. Knee pain score was evaluated by knee pain scale before and after HEP.
A significant reduction (p<0.05) in MVC force of the QF and HM muscles and aROM in flexion were noted before HEP, comparing the involved and uninvolved leg. After HEP, MVC force of the QF muscle increased significantly (p<0.05) for the involved and uninvolved leg, whereas no significant differences (p>0.05) were observed between the limbs. MVC force of the HM muscle and aROM in flexion remained significantly lower (p<0.05) for the involved leg as compared with the uninvolved leg after HEP. Knee pain score was significantly (p<0.05) higher for the involved leg before and after HEP as compared with the uninvolved leg.
Two months before the operation, HEP was an effective therapeutic procedure for increasing QF muscle strength in patients who underwent TKA.