Rehabilitation of patients with haemophilia after orthopaedic surgery: a case study

Preoperative and postoperative rehabilitation may be useful for improving the recovery of patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery, particularly in those with co-morbidity or special requirements. This case study, of a patient with haemophilia and inhibitors to factor VIII undergoing total knee replacement, demonstrates the benefits of 6 weeks' preoperative physiotherapy ('prehabilitation') combined with 6 weeks' postoperative rehabilitation. The supervised physiotherapy regimen was individually tailored to specifically increase range of motion and muscle strength, enabling rapid mobilization and recovery of function, whilst minimizing the risk of bleeding.