Joint Replacement Surgery - Physiotherapy Before Surgery Reduces Care Required After

A large American study has reviewed the outcomes of 4733 hip and knee replacement operations. They found that use of preoperative physiotherapy was associated with a 29% decrease in the use of any post-acute care services. This association was sustained after adjusting for comorbidities, demographic characteristics, and procedural variables.

They recommended pre-operative physiotherapy to provide an integrated, cost-effective, patient-care pathway.

J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2014 Oct 01;96(19):e165. 

"The exercises you worked out for me were wonderful. They had an immediate effect so that by the end of the following week I actually had a pain-free day. Seeing you was really the turning point and I am extremely grateful."

AH