Abstract
ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in patients submitted to total knee arthroplasty. This was a systematic review with no language or publication status restriction. Our search was made in Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase and LILACS. Randomized or quasi-randomized clinical trials evaluating neuromuscular electrical stimulation after total knee arthroplasty were included. Four studies with moderate risk of bias and low statistical power were included, totalizing 376 participants. There was no statistically significant difference in knee function, pain and range of motion during 12 month follow-up. This review concluded that neuromuscular electrical stimulation was less effective than traditional rehabilitation in function, muscular strength and range of motion. However, this technique was useful for quadriceps activation during the first days after surgery.
Highlights
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by reduction of articular cartilage in some areas, and can be related to bone hypertrophy resulting from biochemical alterations and biomechanical stresses
It is estimated that 75% of the population aged over 65 years is affected by this disease, with a higher prevalence in women, mostly at the knee joint.(1,2)
Only randomized clinical trials were included, leading to the analysis of four trials deemed of moderate risk of bias and evaluating kinesiotherapic physical therapy interventions compared to neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) with physiotherapy use in 376 participants undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA)
Summary
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by reduction of articular cartilage in some areas, and can be related to bone hypertrophy (osteophytes and subchondral bone sclerosis) resulting from biochemical alterations and biomechanical stresses. Its applicability grew 73% at the last 10 years and it is expected that its indication rises more than 600% (3.48 million procedures) until 2030.(3). Such percent growth in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), first introduced in the 1960s, is due to pain relief and range of motion (ROM) gain. TKA main goal is to reestablish the patient’s joint compromised function. This is why TKA is considered as one of the most
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