Rehabilitation after high tibial osteotomy and unicompartmental arthroplasty. A comparative study.

Ten patients with medial gonarthrosis treated by unicompartmental arthroplasty were matched with ten patients who had high tibial osteotomy; their courses of rehabilitation were evaluated. All patients regained motion without problems, with no difference between the groups. Muscle torque was measured by a Cybex II dynamometer. The results six months postoperatively were better in the patients treated by unicompartmental arthroplasty than they were 12 months postoperatively in the patients treated by high tibial osteotomy. In the prosthesis group there was an increase in the maximal gait velocity and the duration of single support. In the osteotomy group there was no significant change. This difference in the results of rehabilitation constitutes an argument for arthroplasty in aged patients.