Pilot study: Post-operative rehabilitation pathway changes and implementation of functional closed kinetic chain exercise in total hip and total knee replacement patient.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of introducing a functional closed kinetic chain exercise program to an acute care setting to reduce length of hospital stay and assess tolerance to exercise immediately following total hip or total knee arthroplasty.

METHODS: A protocol change implementing a functional closed kinetic chain based exercise program, post total hip (n = 535) and total knee (n = 695) arthroplasty, was performed at Windsor Regional Hospital Ouellette Campus in Windsor, Ontario Canada. A chart review was performed to compare the length of stay, post-surgery, of the new protocol to the length of stay of the previous range of motion and open kinetic chain based protocols of the previous two years.

RESULTS: A significant (P-value <0.05) number of total hip and total knee arthroplasty patients reduced the length of hospital stay to less than 4 days using the closed kinetic chain program.

CONCLUSION: Evidence suggests that closed kinetic chain exercises are tolerated in the acute care setting and may be useful in reducing hospital length of stay post total hip and total knee arthroplasty.