An analysis of 112 records from 30 physical therapy practices regarding care for patients who had undergone total knee replacement (TKR) surgery reveals a wide variation in the content and amount of specific exercises used to treat them.
The specific details of PT interventions—including kinds of exercise, intensity, and dosage—may be important determinants of the functional outcomes of patients, according to the researchers in a study published recently in Arthritis Care & Research.
The results suggest that evidence-based PT interventions may be under-utilized in clinical practice and that the amount of therapy may be insufficient, according to a media release from Wiley.
“Without clear evidence for the contributions of post-acute PT following total knee replacement, new reimbursement models establish incentives that can potentially reduce post-acute PT services. Anecdotal data suggests this is already occurring for patients post TKR,” says lead author Dr Carol Oatis, of Arcadia University, in the release.
“We are using our current results to inform further research to identify PT ‘best practice.’ ”
[Source(s): Wiley, EurekAlert]
