Clinical study of a new wearable device for rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of promoting knee joint rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with a rehabilitation training instrument NEO-GAIT. Methods: Sixty patients who received TKA from January 2017 to July 2017 in the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University were randomly assigned to receive rehabilitation training with continuous passive motion (CPM) or NEO-GAIT with random number (30 cases in CPM group, included 8 males and 22 females; 30 cases in NEO-GAIT group, included 6 males and 24 females). The visual analogue scale (VAS) evaluation of pain, the postoperative range of motion (ROM) of the knee at the 5th and 10th day, and the Hospital for Special Surgery Knee-rating Score (HSS) at 1-month and 3-month follow-up were recorded. The data were compared between the two groups with paired t test. Results: All the patients were followed-up for more than 3 months. The mean VAS in CPM group and NEO-GAIT group on the 5th day was 2.4±1.1, 2.8±1.3, respectively; and it was 2.1±1.1, 2.5±1.2 respectively on the 10th day after the operation (t=-1.618, -1.505, both P>0.05). There was no significant difference in ROM on the 5th day after operation between the 2 groups (84°±12° vs 85°±12°, t=-0.377, P>0.05); however, it was remarkably higher in the NEO-GAIT group (95°±11°) than that in CPM group (88°±8°) on the 10th day after the operation (t=-3.002, P<0.05). The HSS score at 1-month follow-up in CPM group was 72±9, and it was 84±10 in NEO-GAIT group (t=-5.358, P<0.05); but it was comparative between the two groups at the 3-month follow-up (87±5 vs 89±5, t=-1.575, P>0.05). Conclusion: NEO-GAIT plays a more active and effective role in promoting postoperative rehabilitation after TKA than CPM.