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Background: Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) is a common surgical procedure for knee osteoarthritis that aims to relieve pain and restore joint function. Despite its success, postoperative quadriceps muscular inhibition (QMI) is still a substantial barrier, delaying functional recovery and affecting quality of life. Understanding the temporal dynamics of QMI and its impact on functional outcomes could help guide rehabilitation efforts to optimize recovery timelines.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between early improvements in QMI and functional performance at six weeks post-surgery.
Methods: A total of 19 patients (mean age 69.4 years, BMI 32.9 kg/m2, 17f, 2m) who underwent unilateral TKA surgery included in the present study. QMI was assessed using a pressure biofeedback unit, while functional performance was evaluated through the 2-Minute Walk Test (2MWT) and the Five-Times Sit-to-Stand Test (5TSTS). Functional levels were assessed using the WOMAC and KOS-ADLS scales. Measurements were performed on postoperative days 1 and 2, as well as at weeks 2 and 6.
Results: Significant improvements in QMI were observed during the first two postoperative weeks (p < 0.05), with no notable changes between weeks 2 and 6. Functional performance at six weeks post-surgery showed a moderate negative correlation with improvements in QMI during the initial two weeks (r = -0.591, p = 0.01) post-surgery.
Conclusion: Early rehabilitation efforts focusing on quadriceps muscle activation, particularly within the first two weeks after surgery, may facilitate better long-term functional outcomes following TKA. Future research should investigate targeted interventions to optimize muscle activation during this critical postoperative period.
Relationship Between Improvements Quadriceps Muscle Inhibition Levels and Functional Status.
| N=19
| 5-TSTS | 2MWT | 10MWT | WOMACp | WOMACs | WOMACf | KOSADLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 nd day | r= -0,098
| r= 0,360
| r= -0,227
| r= -0,235
| r= 0,209
| r=0,040
| r= 0,023
|
| 2 nd week |
r= -0,591
| r= 0,228
| r= -0,202
| r= 0,037
| r=-0,114
| r= -0,110
| r= 0,094
|
| 6 th week | r= -0,315
| r= 0,182
| r= -0,349
| r= 0,088
| r= 0,170
| r= -0,152
| r= -0,027
|
r: Spearman correlation analysis.
5TSTS: Five-Times Sit-to-Stand Test, 2MWT: 2-Minute Walk Test, 10MWT: 10-Meter Walk Test, WOMACp: Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index “Pain” subscale, WOMACs: Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index “Stiffness” subscale, WOMACf: Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index “Function” subscale, KOS-ADLS: Knee Outcome Survey - Activities of Daily Living Scale.
REFERENCES: NIL.
Acknowledgements: NIL.
Disclosure of Interests: None declared.
© The Authors 2025. This abstract is an open access article published in Annals of Rheumatic Diseases under the CC BY-NC-ND license (