BREAKTHROUGH IN MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH STIFFNESS AND LOSS OF ROM FOLLOWING TKR

Results: Knee flexion improved from a median of 80° one-week post-TKR to 110° eight weeks post-surgery in patients with sufficient progress.

In contrast, patients with a median ROM of <65° at one-week post-surgery achieved only a median ROM of 82° at eight weeks (insufficient progress group).

Notably, these patients showed almost no improvement after four weeks, with some even experiencing deterioration.

Implications for practice:

ROM <85° will have a debilitating effect on patients’ quality of life.
Patients with ROM <50° at day 1 post-op will need careful MONITORING
If their ROM is around 85° after 4 weeks, they are unlikely to achieve 90° at 8 weeks.

Therefore, high intensity stretching is needed urgently for these patients. Stretching must be performed at end of joint range daily to break down the dense scar tissue which is forming in the knee joint.

Few physiotherapy departments can offer appointments EVERYDAY (mean 1 every 2 weeks).

The SOLUTION Is the STAK tool!

The STAK is a high-intensity stretching device designed specifically to increase ROM.

The STAK is light, simple to use three times a day by the patients in their own home.

STAK clinical trial

35 patients with ROM mean 65° were block randomised – 18 using the STAK for 8 weeks gained 30° ROM compared to 8° in the group receiving standard physio. (For the article, please click here)

After the treatment period standard physio group were offered the opportunity to use the STAK for 8 weeks. They gained a further mean increase of 21°.