Date of Award

2003

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Physical Therapy (MPT)

Department

Physical Therapy

First Advisor

Meridee Danks

Keywords

Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; Postural Balance

Abstract

In the United States today, the total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has become one of the most commonly performed surgeries of the lower extremity. A generous amount of information exists regarding joint proprioception after a joint replacement, however no studies have been done testing postural control after a TKA. With the increasing popularity of the TKA procedure, a need appears for research evaluating static stability and functional mobility of TKAs.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects a TKA, 6 months postoperative or beyond, has on static and dynamic balance. The balance of 8 female volunteers and 4 male volunteers with ages ranging from 51 to 78 years (mean age = 64) was tested. Participants took part in a one-time session which consisted of assessing the Unilateral Stance (US) and Sit-to-Stand (STS) components of the NeuroCom Balance Master (NBM), version 7.1, the sitting to standing and the standing on one foot components of the Berg Balance Assessment, the Timed Up and Go (TUG), knee extensor strength, and knee flexion and extension range of motion (ROM). The participants also completed a SF-36 Health Status Survey and a brief questionnaire.

This study indicates that further research must be completed to assess the effects a TKA has on static and dynamic balance. Due to the small sample size, this study was unable to obtain any analytical statistics which were significant in answering the research questions. However, comparisons were made between the data components using descriptive statistics, which provided information relative to ROM, strength, US, STS, and differences between the involved lower extremity and uninvolved lower extremity. The information helped address this study's research questions.

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