What happened?
A 57-year-old woman with unilateral knee osteoarthritis was assessed before total knee arthroplasty and at three and ten weeks after surgery. The report focuses on persistent movement asymmetry after surgery and a rehabilitation strategy designed to improve symmetrical loading.
Clinical findings
- The patient demonstrated abnormal and asymmetrical knee biomechanics before surgery.
- The report highlights reduced knee excursion on the operated side and compensatory loading patterns as relevant rehabilitation targets.
Rehabilitation described in the report
- Progressive quadriceps strengthening combined with movement retraining.
- Visual, verbal and tactile feedback was used to encourage symmetrical weight bearing during strengthening and functional activities.
Reported outcomes
- After the rehabilitation programme, knee motion and moments were reported to return to normal levels.
- Walking showed greater and more symmetrical knee excursion compared with a historical cohort of similar patients.
Clinical lessons to consider
- Do not assume that pain reduction or basic walking ability means loading symmetry has normalized after TKA.
- Use feedback during functional tasks when asymmetrical loading is identified.
- Combine strength progression with movement-quality assessment.
Limitations — what this case cannot tell us
- Single-patient case report with comparison to a historical cohort, not a randomized comparison.
- The findings support further study and should not be treated as proof that biofeedback is required for every TKA patient.
Original source
Jodie McClelland, Joseph Zeni, Ross M. Haley, Lynn Snyder-Mackler. “Functional and Biomechanical Outcomes After Using Biofeedback for Retraining Symmetrical Movement Patterns After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Case Report.” Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 2012. DOI: 10.2519/jospt.2012.3773
View the original publicationThis page is an independently written educational summary, not a reproduction of the full paper. Check the original article for complete methods, outcome tables, references and licensing.