Characteristics of rehabilitation therapy for patients with total knee replacement

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the influencing factor, as well as rehabilitation method after total knee replacement. METHODS: Chinese Journal Full-text Database and PubMed database were retrieved with key words of artificial knee joint, athroplasty, and rehabilitation, from January 1999 to June 2009. The literature search was restricted to Chinese and English languages. The evaluation indexes were the knee range of movement, function, muscle strength, and joint stability. Accordingly, clinical research concerning rehabilitation treatment of total knee replacement was included, and the animal experiment was excluded. RESULTS: A total of 492 literatures were obtained by initial search with computer. On the basis of inclusion criteria, the related papers were analyzed. Rehabilitation training after total knee replacement includes pain control, joint activity training, strength training, proprioceptive training and walking training. Knee movement range was one of the important indicators in evaluating total knee replacement, which was also the most important component in the knee-rating system. Pain reduced and normal walking function was important to observe the therapeutic effects after total knee replacement. Strength training was an important part of rehabilitation training, early rehabilitation not only can regain the muscle strength, but also can promote blood circulation and prevent deep vein thrombosis of lower limbs. CONCLUSION: Rehabilitation training can restore muscle strength, joint activity and walking ability as quickly as possible, and control pain greatly, which influence therapeutic effects of replacement.