Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled
trial comparing group-based outpatient physiotherapy with usual care in patients
following total knee replacement. DESIGN: A feasibility study for a randomized
controlled trial. SETTING:
One secondary-care hospital orthopaedic centre,
Bristol, UK. PARTICIPANTS:
A total of 46 participants undergoing primary total
knee replacement. INTERVENTIONS: The intervention group were offered six
group-based exercise sessions after surgery. The usual care group received
standard postoperative care. Participants were not blinded to group allocation.
OUTCOME MEASURES: Feasibility was assessed by recruitment, reasons for
non-participation, attendance, and completion rates of study questionnaires that
included the Lower Extremity Functional Scale and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis
Outcome Score. RESULTS: Recruitment rate was 37%.
Five patients withdrew or were
no longer eligible to participate. Intervention attendance was high (73%) and 84%
of group participants reported they were 'very satisfied' with the exercises.
Return of study questionnaires at six months was lower in the usual care (75%)
than in the intervention group (100%). Mean (standard deviation) Lower Extremity
Functional Scale scores at six months were 45.0 (20.8) in the usual care and 57.8
(15.2) in the intervention groups. CONCLUSION: Recruitment and retention of
participants in this feasibility study was good. Group-based physiotherapy was
acceptable to participants. Questionnaire return rates were lower in the usual
care group, but might be enhanced by telephone follow-up. The Lower Extremity
Functional Scale had high responsiveness and completion rates. Using this outcome
measure, 256 participants would be required in a full-scale randomized controlled trial.

Langue : ANGLAIS