TKA Case Study

Case Description:  The patient was a 75 y/o female who came to physical therapy several weeks after a L total knee replacement.  She had experience knee pain for years prior to her surgery, which was complicated by a complex history of L hip dysfunction stemming from a congenital defect.  She was an avid recreational biker and enjoyed hiking prior to developing her knee issues and had the goal of return to these activities post-surgically. 

Objective Measures: The patient was seen for 14  physical therapy visits over a 2 month period.

Tests and Measures	Initial Evaluation	Day of Discharge from Physical Therapy
VAS for Pain	4/10	0-3/10
Lower Extremity Functional Scale	77.5% disability	11.3% disability
L knee PROM	EXT:   179°    FLEX: 95°	EXT:  180°     FLEX: 127°
Activity Level	Ambulation with a single point cane.	Gait without compensation.  Back to biking, hiking regularly

Summary: The patient was discharged from physical therapy decreased pain, increased pain free ROM/strength consistent with her uninvolved extremity, return to previous activities like biking and hiking, and an advanced home exercise to continue improving.   

Patient Comments at Discharge: “When I came for the first visit I was totally discouraged. I thought I would never get full mobility of my knee. After a couple visits my hope was completely restored.”

Sincerely,

Luke Vander Zouwen, DPT
Full Potential Physical Therapy