Effects of Isometric Quadriceps Muscle Exercise with Visual and Auditory Feedback at 1 Year after Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Objective: To examine the effect of isometric quadriceps exercises with visual and auditory feedback after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods: The sample included 41 patients from our previous study who could be followed up for 1 year after TKA. Patients in the intervention group performed isometric quadriceps exercises with visual and auditory feedback using the quadriceps training machine from the 2nd to the 14th day after TKA, whereas those in the control group underwent standard postoperative rehabilitation (without visual or auditory feedback during isometric quadriceps exercises) in the hospital. Patients were evaluated for pain intensity, timed up and go test (TUG) score, 10-m gait speed, 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), and the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score 1 year after TKA. Additionally, exercise habits and responses to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) were investigated.

Results: Pain intensity was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group. Greater improvements in the TUG test scores, 10-m gait speed, 6MWD, and WOMAC scores were observed in the intervention group. Walking activity, as recorded by the IPAQ, and the proportion of patients with exercise habits were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group.

Conclusions: These results suggest that performing isometric quadriceps exercise with visual and auditory feedback using the quadriceps training machine has good effects, such as pain reduction, physical function improvement, exercise tolerance, and increased physical activity at 1 year after TKA.