Efficacy of a Digital Biofeedback System for Home-based Rehabilitation After Total Joint Replacement

Efficacy of a Home-based Rehabilitation Program Performed Through a Digital Kinematic Biofeedback System After Total Hip or Knee Replacement: a Single-arm, Prospective, Open-label Study

The study was designed to assess the efficacy of a home-based rehabilitation program using a digital kinematic biofeedback system after total hip or knee replacement.

This is a single-arm prospective study. Patients will be enrolled pre-operatively and will perform an 8-week rehabilitation program starting between day 7 and 10 after surgery.

This program will consist of rehabilitation sessions performed independently by the patient at under remote monitoring from a physical therapist.

Outcomes will be measured at baseline, 4 weeks into the rehabilitation program and at the end of the program.

The primary outcome is the change in patient performance measure through the Timed-up-and-Go (TUG) test in comparison with the pre-operative score. Secondary outcomes will be measured in terms of: a) patient reported outcomes (Hip or Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score) and b) range of motion of the relevant joint (hip or knee).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical and imaging evidence of hip/knee osteoarthritis
• Indication for total hip/knee replacement according to the patient´s orthopedic surgeon
• Ability to walk unaided, with unilateral or bilateral support
• Availability of a carer to assist the patient after surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients admitted for revision of total hip/knee replacement
• Contralateral hip or knee osteoarthritis severely limiting patient mobility and ability to comply with a rehabilitation program
• Aphasia, dementia or psychiatric comorbidity interfering with the communication or compliance to the rehabilitation process
• Respiratory, cardiac, metabolic or other condition incompatible with at least 30 minutes of light to moderate physical activity
• Major medical complications occurring after surgery that prevent the discharge of the patient within 10 days after the surgery
• Other medical and/or surgical complications that prevent the patient from complying with a rehabilitation program
• Blind and/or illiterate patients