Investigation of the effects of sensorimotor and core stabilization exercise programs following total knee arthroplasty

The aim of this study is to investigate core stabilization and sensorimotor exercises effects on range of motion (ROM), balance, proprioception and functional status.The study included 36 volunter patients with TKA (34F, 2M ; 69,38 ± 5,81 years) who applied to Orthopedics and Traumatology clinic of Tuzla State Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey between November 2018 and June 2019 and diagnosed with Osteoarthritis. The sociodemograpgic features of participants were recorded by structured questionnaire. Assesments were done preoperation, pretreatment at postoperative second weeks and posttreatment at postoperative eighth weeks. ROM of the knee and hip joints were measured with universal goniometer. Proprioception assessment was performed with angle reproduction test on knee flexion by using electronic goniometer. Balance was evaluated with Berg Balance Scale. Additionly, Sit and Stand Up and Timed Up & Go Test were performed to evaluate functional performance. Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scale (KOOS) was used to evaluation of pain, symptom, activity of daily life (ADL), quality of life (QoL) and sport-recreative activities. Patients were randomly divided into two groups as Sensorimotor training group(SM Group, n=17) and Core Stabilization Training Group(CS Group, n=19). Sensorimotor training program included proprioceptive and balance exercise combined with traditional exercises, Core Stabilization training program contained combination of core and traditional exercises.Exercises were applied between postoperative 2th and 8th weeks as home program.The main results of this study revealed that all outcomes improved at 8th weeks compared to pretreatment and preoperation in both groups. (p<0.05) Other important findings were that means of range of hip internal rotation- external rotation –abduction at postoperative term in CS group had more improvement than SM group (p<0.05) while balance, functional status, KOOS-sport subscale were found significantly higher in SM group. In conclusion, one exercise program did not showed superiority in all parameters. We can recommend that these exercise programs can be added according to patient's needs in TKA rehabilitation programs.