The Cut-off Value of Physical Activity for Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

Background: We aimed to determine a cut-off value for physical activity (PA), measured using an accelerometer, between patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who decided to undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and those who continued conservative treatment. Methods: Forty-two participants were assigned to either a TKA group or a non-TKA group (21 per group). They were instructed to wear an accelerometer throughout the day. Average daily steps (steps/day), average daily time of light PA (LPA) (min/day), and average daily time of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) (min/day) were measured for seven days. Variables between the two groups were compared using univariate analyses, and then a stepwise logistic regression was conducted to determine which variables best correlated with undergoing TKA. The PA cut-offs were analysed using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results: Pain severity (p = 0.002), KL grade (p = 0.001), and MVPA (p = 0.012) differed significantly between the groups. The most useful cut-off value was 5.84 (min/day) for MVPA (AUC = 0.773), although only pain severity and KL grade were found to be significant contributors to undergoing TKA. Conclusions: Our results revealed there was a significant decrease in PA levels (MVPA cut-off, 5–6 min/day) in the TKA group compared with the non-TKA group.