Does Partial Knee Replacement Allow Return to High-Demand Activities?

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess postoperative partial knee replacement (PKR) functional improvement using the postoperative Oxford Knee Score for Activity and Participation Questionnaire (OKS-APQ). PKR includes medial, lateral, and patellofemoral knee arthroplasty. Methods A search of a National Health Service hospital database was made to identify eligible candidates for a survey of Patient-Reported Outcome Measure (PROM). Database records were collected for patients who had medial, lateral, and patellofemoral knee arthroplasty. The first author, an orthopaedic surgery resident, retrospectively reviewed the data and selected 318 patient records for inclusion in a questionnaire survey. The inclusion criteria were: patients who had PKR within three years from the time of the study and patients who don’t have medical problems that may affect their mobility; for example, balance problems. The survey used the postoperative Oxford Knee Score for Activity and Participation Questionnaire (OKS-APQ), Tegner Activity Score (TAS), and four questions were added to the present study, namely, three free-text questions and one visual analogue score (VAS). The survey was sent by post seeking the patients' responses. Results Two-hundred five responded to the survey out of 318; a 64% response rate. The ceiling and floor effects were determined from patients’ answers. Survey questions included: What is the most demanding activity you routinely do every month on your new knee? The patients’ answers were divided into four groups. First, 29% were limited to low functional demand activities, for example, light walking for less than a mile. Second, 43% were involved in domestic work and sports activities, for example, golf, skittles, bowling, squatting, swimming, and gardening. Third, 21% had progressed to higher demand activities, for instance, dancing, racquet sports, cycling, and yoga. Fourth, 7% were performing higher demand activities involving impacts, for example, skiing, heavy gym workout, and marathon running. Conclusion The postoperative questionnaire demonstrated activities ranging from high-impact activities, for example, skiing, and from higher demand activities, for example, dancing to low function activities, for example, light walking.