Participation in Sports and Physical Activities After Total Joint Arthroplasty

Return to athletics after total knee arthroplasty: a survey study of 784 recreational athletes across 12 sports

BACKGROUND

Postoperative return to recreational activity is a common concern among the increasingly active total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patient population, though there is a paucity of research characterizing sport-specific return and function. This study aimed to assess participation level, postoperative return to activity, sport function, and limitations for recreational athletes undergoing TKA.

METHODS

A survey of recreational sports participation among primary, elective TKA patients from a single academic center between June 2011 and January 2022 was conducted. Of the 10,777 surveys administered, responses were received from 1,063 (9.9%) patients, among whom 784 indicated being active in cycling (273 [34.8%]), running (33 [4.2%]), jogging (68 [8.7%]), swimming (228 [29.1%]), tennis (63 [8.0%]), skiing (55 [7.0%]), or high-impact team sports (64 [8.2%]) between two years preoperatively and time of survey administration, and were included for analyses.

RESULTS

Cycling (62.3% at two years preoperatively vs. 59.0% at latest follow-up) and swimming (62.7% at two years preoperatively vs. 63.6% at latest follow-up) demonstrated the most favorable participation rate changes, while running (84.0% at two years preoperatively vs. 48.5% at latest follow-up) and skiing (72.7% at two years preoperatively vs. 45.5% at latest follow-up) demonstrated the least favorable participation rate changes. The majority of respondents were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with their return across all sports, though dissatisfaction was highest among runners and joggers. For cycling, running, jogging, and swimming, respondents most commonly reported no change in speed or distance capacity, though among these cyclists reported the highest rates of improved speed and distance. The majority of returning skiers reported improved balance, form, and ability to put on skis.

CONCLUSION

Return to sport is feasible following TKA with high satisfaction. Swimming and cycling represent manageable postoperative activities with high return-rates, while runners and joggers face increased difficulty returning to equal or better activity levels. Patients should receive individualized, sports-specific counseling regarding their expected postoperative course based on their goals of treatment.

Return to Cycling After Total Joint Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

As total joint arthroplasty (TJA) candidates become younger, patients' expectations continue to expand. We surveyed our patient population to determine rates of return to cycling after TJA so that we could provide more accurate counseling on performance and safety.

METHODS

At our single institution, an online survey was generated and sent out to patients who had at least 3 months of follow-up. Patients were split into 4 categories based on surgery type: single total hip arthroplasty (THA), single total knee arthroplasty (TKA), multiple TJA, and revision TJA.

RESULTS

A total of 1,029 surveys fit the inclusion criteria. The average age of the patient population was 69 years, with an average of 4.08 years from their time of most recent TJA surgery (maximum follow-up of 18.61 years). Nearly all those who were able to bike prior to surgery were able to return to cycling, with only 6% not being able to do so. There were 41.8% who returned to cycling less than 3 months after surgery. Most cyclists were able to return to their previous level. Patients who had a revision TJA had significantly lower rates of returning to cycling in comparison to single TKA, single THA, and multi-TJA (37.3%, 60.3%, 61.9%, and 60.3%, respectively, P < .005). Patients who never returned to cycling had higher revision rates in comparison to those who were able to get back on a bike (14.4 versus 9.2%, P = .01).

CONCLUSIONS

A large proportion of patients who had prior cycling experience were able to return to bike riding within 3 to 6 months after TJA. Individuals who had revision TJA had lower rates of return to cycling in comparison to single TKA, single THA, and multi-TJA. Returning to cycling did not result in higher rates of revision.

Factors associated with physical activity following total knee arthroplasty for knee osteoarthritis: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

After total knee arthroplasty (TKA), patients' physical activity (PA) levels at 6 months are lower than those of healthy subjects. Few studies have investigated the factors associated with PA at 6 months after TKA by objectively measuring preoperative and postoperative PA intensity using an accelerometer and knee function using a goniometer and dynamometer. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with PA levels at 6 months after TKA based on objective data.

METHODS

Eighty-two patients (mean [SD] age 74.5 [6.4] years) with moderate-to-severe knee osteoarthritis (OA) who were scheduled for TKA at the Nagoya Orthopaedic and Joint Replacement Clinic from July 2018 to July 2019 were enrolled in this longitudinal study. All patients underwent evaluations of knee function, including range-of-motion and knee-extension muscle strength; knee pain; performance in the timed up-and-go test; and accelerometer-measured PA both preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. Factors associated with PA at 6 months after TKA were assessed using a hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and presence of diabetes mellitus.

RESULTS

A higher average daily step count at 6 months after TKA was significantly associated with greater preoperative knee-extension muscle strength on the operated side (β = 0.155, p = 0.028) as well as a higher preoperative average daily step count (β = 0.834, p < 0.001). Furthermore, average daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA postoperatively was significantly associated only with time spent in moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA preoperatively (β = 0.723, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that a higher preoperative daily step count and greater preoperative knee-extension muscle strength on the operated side may be associated with a higher daily step count at 6 months after TKA. Factors associated with PA differed by the PA intensity level. Rehabilitation and interventions for psychosocial factors before TKA beginning when mild knee OA first occurs are expected to lead to increased PA in TKA patients.

Assessing perceived participation among older adults total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty patients six months post-surgery: a cross-sectional study

Aims

This research sought to assess the perceived levels of participation and autonomy in senior patients who had received total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in Hangzhou, China. Furthermore, the study aimed to identify the factors linked to these outcomes.

Study design

This investigation will utilize a cross-sectional study design to assess perceived participation and autonomy among older adults total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients. The research was conducted in Hangzhou, China, at a tertiary hospital.

Methods

Convenient sampling was utilized to select 139 patients who underwent THA or TKA between March 2022 and March 2023 and met the inclusion criteria at a tertiary hospital in Hangzhou. The Impact on Participation and Autonomy Questionnaire, Hip/Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS/KOOS), 5-Item Geriatric Depression Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Elders Health Empowerment Scale were used to assess perceived participation, hip/knee-related symptoms and functional restrictions, depression symptoms, social support, and health empowerment.

Results

The mean score for perceived participation and autonomy was 22.554 (SD: 13.042). The mean scores for participation in indoor autonomy, outdoor autonomy, family roles, and social relations were 0.654 (SD: 0.608), 1.324 (SD: 0.792), 1.053 (SD: 0.657), and 0.664 (SD: 0.542), respectively. Negative correlations were observed between perceived participation/autonomy scores and HOOS/KOOS, social support, and health empowerment scores. Conversely, a positive correlation was found between perceived participation/autonomy scores and depression scores. The detrimental effect of HOOS/KOOS, social support, and health empowerment scores on perceived participation and autonomy was notable, while the impact of depressive symptoms was comparatively minor.

Conclusion

Older Chinese patients, at first six months post THA/TKA surgery, reported higher levels of perceived participation compared to individuals with other conditions, such as stroke patients. Functional limitations resulting from hip/knee-related symptoms, as well as social support and health empowerment, emerged as significant influencing factors for perceived participation and autonomy. This research enhances our comprehension of the elements influencing perceived participation among older adults individuals who have undergone THA/TKA procedures.

Intra-articular injections in sport-active patients with degenerative cartilage lesions or osteoarthritis of the knee: a systematic review

PURPOSE

The aim of this systematic review was to analyse the available clinical evidence on intra-articular knee injections for the treatment of degenerative cartilage lesions and osteoarthritis (OA) in sport-active patients.

METHODS

A literature search was performed in July 2023 according to the PRISMA guidelines on three electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science). Studies addressing intra-articular injections for degenerative knee cartilage lesions or knee OA in sport-active patients were included. The Downs and Black's "checklist for measuring quality" was used to evaluate risk of bias and quality of the included studies.

RESULTS

Only 10 clinical studies for a total of 296 sport-active patients were included, with a publication trend increasing over time. The studies were 9 case series and 1 RCT; 7 studies focused on hyaluronic acid (HA), 2 studies focused on platelet-rich plasma (PRP), while 1 study compared HA and PRP. Overall, safety and positive clinical findings were for both HA and PRP, although not always with satisfactory results in terms of return to sport. The Downs and Black evaluation showed an overall poor quality of the included studies, with an average score of 21.1 points (range 19-25).

CONCLUSIONS

The available clinical evidence is still limited, with only a few studies published and an overall low-quality of evidence, suggesting a potential role of HA and PRP injections to treat these patients. However, further high-level trials are needed to confirm the real benefits of these treatments for the management of sport-active patients affected by degenerative cartilage lesions or OA of the knee.

A Study on Distinguishing ChatGPT-Generated and Human-Written Orthopaedic Abstracts by Reviewers: Decoding the Discrepancies

BACKGROUND

ChatGPT (OpenAI Incorporated, Mission District, San Francisco, United States) is an artificial intelligence (AI)-based language model that generates human-resembling texts. This AI-generated literary work is comprehensible and contextually relevant and it is really difficult to differentiate from human-written content. ChatGPT has risen in popularity lately and is widely utilized in scholarly manuscript drafting. The aim of this study is to identify if 1) human reviewers can differentiate between AI-generated and human-written abstracts and 2) AI detectors are currently reliable in detecting AI-generated abstracts.

METHODS

Seven blinded reviewers were asked to read 21 abstracts and differentiate which were AI-generated and which were human-written. The first group consisted of three orthopaedic residents with limited research experience (OR). The second group included three orthopaedic professors with extensive research experience (OP). The seventh reviewer was a non-orthopaedic doctor and acted as a control in terms of expertise. All abstracts were scanned by a plagiarism detector program. The performance of detecting AI-generated abstracts of two different AI detectors was also analyzed. A structured interview was conducted at the end of the survey in order to evaluate the decision-making process utilized by each reviewer.

RESULTS

The OR group managed to identify correctly 34.9% of the abstracts' authorship and the OP group 31.7%. The non-orthopaedic control identified correctly 76.2%. All AI-generated abstracts were 100% unique (0% plagiarism). The first AI detector managed to identify correctly only 9/21 (42.9%) of the abstracts' authors, whereas the second AI detector identified 14/21 (66.6%).

CONCLUSION

Inability to correctly identify AI-generated context poses a significant scientific risk as "false" abstracts can end up in scientific conferences or publications. Neither expertise nor research background was shown to have any meaningful impact on the predictive outcome. Focus on statistical data presentation may help the differentiation process. Further research is warranted in order to highlight which elements could help reveal an AI-generated abstract.

Activity Following Total Hip Arthroplasty: Which Patients Are Active, and Is Being Active Safe?

BACKGROUND

Younger and physically active patients demand a return to sport after total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, because of the risk of implant wear and loosening, high-impact activities are often not recommended. The current study evaluates predictive factors and revision rates in patients with higher activity levels.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 4152 hips in 3828 patients aged 45-75 that underwent primary THA for primary osteoarthritis between 2009 and 2019 with a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Pain and Lower Extremity Activity Scale (LEAS) were assessed before and 2 years after surgery. Activity was classified as low (LEAS 1-6), moderate (LEAS 7-13), or high (LEAS 14-18).

RESULTS

Pain and LEAS improved from preoperative to 2-years postoperative (p < 0.001). The activity level was low in 6.2%, moderate in 52.9%, and high in 40.9% of the patients. Younger age, lower BMI, ASA, and CCI, male sex, and higher preoperative LEAS correlated with higher activity at 2 years (p < 0.001). The predicted revision-free survival rates between the activity groups were better for more highly active patients (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

High physical activity 2 years following THA, with participating in sports like jogging several times a week, did not increase the risk of revision surgery. THA patients should not be prevented from a highly active lifestyle.

Return to Sport After Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: Counseling the Patient on Resuming an Active Lifestyle

PURPOSEOF REVIEW

The purpose of this review is to summarize the available literature on the epidemiology, biomechanics, clinical outcomes, and complications of return to sport after TJA, as well as provide guidelines for patients' safe return to athletic activity.

RECENT FINDINGS

As volume and indications for total joint arthroplasty (TJA) expand, arthroplasty candidates today are demographically younger, more physically active, and have higher expectations for postoperative function. Many TJA patients wish to resume sports activity that may theoretically place their reconstruction under more biomechanical stress and risk for early wear or failure. Recommendations for postoperative patient activity following TJA have historically largely been surgeon-dependent and in the context of evolving prosthetic design and surgical techniques. We endorse a three-tiered framework for return to sporting activities: (1) low-impact sports are generally recommended, (2) intermediate-impact sports are generally recommended with experience, and (3) high-impact sports are generally not recommended though activity-specific joint decisions between patient and surgeon can be made.