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Every year, about 400,000 patients in the U.S. with painful and disabling knee osteoarthritis undergo elective total knee arthroplasty. However, treatment does not end with joint replacement. Postarthroplasty functional impairment is common, and as a result, physiotherapy is often prescribed to improve function. Surprisingly few data exist on the effectiveness of postarthroplasty physiotherapy. British investigators conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of five randomized trials involving 554 patients to determine whether physiotherapy after hospital discharge improves postelective total knee arthroplasty outcomes.
Treatment groups received outpatient physiotherapy interventions advised or provided by therapists for about 12 weeks …