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BODY WEIGHT SUPPORT TREADMILL FOR STABILITY AND CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION IN PATIENTS POST-UNILATERAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Knee arthroplasty surgery involves the replacement of the knee joint with a prosthesis. These surgeries are costly and require lengthy recoveries. The primary variation in cost for knee arthroplasties comes post-operation from the recovery process. Transportation, high medical costs, and lower access to equipped facilities have been identified as primary barriers to healthcare in rural Appalachia. Bodyweight support treadmills (BWS) have been shown to reduce the effective body weight of patients, build cardiovascular health and mobility, and decrease fall risk in knee arthroplasty patients. The development of mobile, low-cost BWS systems may be beneficial to decrease health disparities in rural Appalachia. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of a mobile BWS system in Appalachian knee arthroplasty patients. METHODS: 20 patients who are 6-8 weeks post single knee arthroplasty will be recruited from local clinics. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: control or BWS. Both groups will participate in standard physical therapy. The control group will concurrently complete 8 weeks of treadmill walking at a self-selected pace. The BWS group will concurrently complete 8 weeks of treadmill walking with 20% bodyweight reduction on a BWS system at a self-selected pace. At baseline, 4 weeks into the intervention, and post-intervention, participants will complete a walking economy test, the Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA), and manual muscle testing (MMT). Results will be analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA to determine significant differences between the control and BWS groups. ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We hypothesize that the BWS group will have greater improvements in walking economy, and muscle strength as measured by MMT, along with better mobility and fall risk as measured by the POMA.

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