The Effect of a Single Session of Preoperative Exercise Training on The Rate of Functional Improvement in Patients Who Underwent Total Knee Arthroplasty at a Tertiary Hospital in Southern Thailand: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a preoperative exercise training program before total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and the factors associated with functional outcomes after TKA.Material and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Patients were selected to receive a preoperative exercise training program before TKA. The changes in the Knee Society Score (KSS) were evaluated before and after surgery at 6, 12, and 24 weeks between the preoperative exercise and the standard care groups. Results: The mean objective scores (KS-OS) and functional scores (KS-FS) were significantly improved at 6 (T1), 12 (T2), and 24 (T3) weeks following surgery. The effect of a single session of preoperative exercise training had no significant difference in both scores (KS-OS T1 p-value=0.53, KS-OS T2 p-value=0.59, KS-OS T3 p-value=0.63; KS-FS T1 p-value=0.16, KS-FS T2 p-value=0.94, KS-FS T3 p-value=0.99). There was no significant difference in the knee range of motion at 6 (p-value=0.68), 12 (p-value=0.12), and 24 (p-value=0.05) weeks after surgery. Ages of 65 years and older and length of stay in hospital, equal to or greater than 5 days, were associated with lower functional outcomes. Conclusion: The preoperative exercise training program did not affect functional outcomes. Advanced age and longer length of stay in the hospital were associated with poor functional outcomes.