Physical Function After Total Knee Replacement: An Observational Study Describing Outcomes in a Small Group of Women From China and the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To describe physical function before and six months after Total Knee Replacement (TKR) in a small sample of women from China and the United States.

DESIGN: Observational.

SETTING: Community environment.

OUTCOMES: Both groups adhered to the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) protocols for the 6-minute walk and 30-second chair stand. We compared physical function prior to TKR and 6 months after using linear regression adjusted for covariates.

PARTICIPANTS: Women (N=60) after TKR.

INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable.

RESULTS: Age and body mass index in the China group (n=30; 66y and 27.0kg/m2 ) were similar to those in the U.S. group (n=30; 65y and 29.6kg/m2 ). Before surgery, the China group walked 263 (95% confidence interval [CI], -309 to -219) less meters and had 10.2 (95% CI, -11.8 to -8.5) fewer chair stands than the U.S. group. At 6 months when compared with the U.S. group, the China group walked 38 more meters, but this difference did not reach statistical significance (95% CI, -1.6 to 77.4), and had 3.1 (95% CI, -4.4 to -1.7) fewer chair stands. The China group had greater improvement in the 6-minute walk test than did the U.S. group (P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Despite having worse physical function before TKR, the China group had greater gains in walking endurance and similar gains in repeated chair stands than did the U.S. group after surgery.