Chou Li-Na, Chen Min-Li
Department of Nursing, National Tainan Junior College of Nursing, Tainan, Taiwan.
Department of Respiratory Care, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Puzi City, Chiayi, Taiwan.
Rehabil Nurs. 2019 Jan/Feb;44(1):60-66. doi: 10.1097/rnj.0000000000000109.
The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of elastic band exercise activities on lower extremity rehabilitation in elderly patients subjected to an elastic band exercise intervention 2 and 4 weeks after total knee arthroplasty.
A quasiexperimental study was conducted. Participants were recruited from southern Taiwan who were over 65 years old and had a first unilateral total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis.
The control and experimental groups comprised 25 patients each. The control group received conventional treatment after total knee arthroplasty; by contrast, the experimental group engaged in elastic band exercise activities demonstrated by instructors, in addition to receiving conventional treatment. Effects of the lower extremity rehabilitation of the two groups were evaluated 2 and 4 weeks after total knee arthroplasty.
Most of the participants were above 70 years of age, 17 of whom were in the control group (68%) and 16 in the experimental group (64%). The active and passive knee flexion angles of the experimental group were greater than those of the control group (p < .001) 2 and 4 weeks after surgery. The muscle strength of the quadriceps of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group (p < .001) 2 and 4 weeks after surgery. The experimental group exhibited significantly higher physical function than that of the control group 2 and 4 weeks after surgery (p < .001).
The elastic band exercise program shows promising effects on improving the lower limb rehabilitation of elderly patients with total knee arthroplasty.
Healthcare professionals who work with elderly patients with total knee arthroplasty may consider recommending and implementing the elastic band exercise program as a home rehabilitation method for this population. However, we recommend further testing of the long-term effects of this program on a larger population.
本研究旨在调查弹力带运动活动对全膝关节置换术后2周和4周接受弹力带运动干预的老年患者下肢康复的影响。
进行了一项准实验研究。参与者从台湾南部招募，年龄超过65岁，因骨关节炎首次进行单侧全膝关节置换术。
对照组和实验组各有25名患者。对照组在全膝关节置换术后接受常规治疗；相比之下，实验组除接受常规治疗外，还进行由指导员示范的弹力带运动活动。在全膝关节置换术后2周和4周评估两组下肢康复的效果。
大多数参与者年龄在70岁以上，其中对照组17人（68%），实验组16人（64%）。术后2周和4周，实验组的主动和被动膝关节屈曲角度均大于对照组（p <.001）。术后2周和4周，实验组股四头肌的肌力高于对照组（p <.001）。术后2周和4周，实验组的身体功能明显高于对照组（p <.001）。
弹力带运动方案对改善全膝关节置换术老年患者的下肢康复显示出有希望的效果。
与全膝关节置换术老年患者打交道的医护人员可能会考虑推荐并实施弹力带运动方案，作为该人群的家庭康复方法。然而，我们建议对该方案在更大人群中的长期效果进行进一步测试。
