When does postoperative standing function after total knee arthroplasty improve beyond preoperative level of function?

The purpose of the current study was to investigate inpatient recovery process during relaxed standing, and to clarify the question of when postoperative standing function would improve beyond preoperative level of function following total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Thirty patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis, averaged 75 years old, participated. Subjects underwent unilateral TKA. Evaluations were divided into two categories; subjective and objective components. Subjective component was based on pain level (Visual Analog Scale: 100 mm), and objective component consisted of vertical knee force (%BW) and knee flexion angle (degrees) during relaxed standing. Data evaluations were done pre- and post-operatively.

Preoperative pain score was 69.1. After TKA, pain level became maximum (89.9) and significantly larger on postoperative day 3. Thereafter, pain gradually decreased, and it (60.4) was significantly smaller on postoperative day 8 than preoperative score. Preoperative vertical knee force was 43.5%BW. After TKA, it became minimum (32.8) on postoperative day 3. Thereafter, knee force gradually increased, and it (44.1) was significantly larger on postoperative day 17. Preoperative knee flexion angle was 15.6°. After TKA, knee flexion angle during standing became maximum (20.0) on postoperative day 4. Thereafter, subjects could gradually extend the knee, and on postoperative day 16, it (14.3°) was smaller.

From our results, subjective pain was significantly reduced from postoperative day 8, and objective knee condition, including vertical knee force on TKA side and knee flexion angle on TKA side during standing, significantly became better from postoperative day 17 and 16, respectively.