Riassunto dello studio

One hundred patients who underwent primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty were randomized to receive either smartphone application-based remote rehabilitation (n=50) or home-based rehabilitation with outpatient guidance (n=50). The primary outcome of interest was knee range of motion (ROM) at 12 weeks postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Knee Society Score (KSS), SF-36 health survey, Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (5xSST), Single-Leg Stance Test (SLST), patient satisfaction, rehabilitation costs, and 90-day readmission rate. Outcomes were assessed at 2, 6, and 12 weeks postoperatively. Overall, the results revealed that the telerehabilitation group showed significantly better outcomes in knee ROM, SLST, 5xSST, and certain domains of the SF-36 compared to the control group. The study concluded that smartphone app-based remote rehabilitation could be a more effective option for improving short-term functional outcomes after total knee arthroplasty.