Effectiveness of Balance Exercise Program in Total Knee Arthroplasty: Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Balance is essential for maintaining postural stability while performing functional activities and for falls avoidance in patients with TKA. There are very few RCTs done to assess functional improvement after TKA. Hence, this study was undertaken to find out evidence on physiotherapy treatment in TKA and analyze it. Methods: We searched Medline, CINAHL, PEDro from the year 2001 to 2015 for RCT involving evaluations of physiotherapy exercise in adults with a knee replacement. Search criteria’s were pain, stiffness, adherence and attrition. The inclusion criteria were studies which included physiotherapy exercise for balance specific exercises which compared various functional training and functional training with balance exercise in TKA. Result: Searches identified 20 randomized trials related to TKA and physiotherapy. Only three were fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Functional training with balance exercises found to be effective in patients with total knee arthroplasty. Conclusion: After total knee replacement, interventions including physiotherapy along with balance exercises showed improvement in pain, stiffness and functional performance in mobility.
 Keywords: Osteoarthritis; Balance; Total knee arthroplasty physiotherapy.