Functional ability, mobility, and pain before and after knee replacement in patients aged 75 and older: a cross-sectional study

Background and aims: The purpose of the present cross-sectional study was to analyze how knee replacement affects performance in activities of daily living (ADL), mobility, and pain in older patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: Knee osteoarthritis patients aged ≧75 years scheduled for knee replacement (Group 0, n=68), or having undergone knee replacement one (Group 1, n=71) or two years (Group 2, n=75) earlier, were sent a questionnaire asking about ADL performance, mobility, degree of pain, use of analgesics, and patient’s perception of the outcome. Results: More patients having had knee replacement than those waiting for surgery reported they were able to perform ADLs without difficulty, the exception being bathing and dressing/undressing. They also had a better performance in mobility measures (ability to move indoors and use stairs, walking distance). After adjustment for age, gender, and anesthesiological risk score, the patients in Groups 1 and 2 continued to show better performance than the patients in Group 0 in rising from chair, heavy housework, moving indoors, using stairs, and walking 400 m. Ninety-three percent of patients in Group 0 but only 23% and 34% in Groups 1 and 2 used analgesics for knee pain. The majority of the patients in Groups 1 and 2 were satisfied with the outcome and estimated that their health and mobility had improved after surgery. Conclusions: Knee osteoarthritis patients aged ≧75 years, having undergone knee replacement, have not only less pain and better mobility but also superior ADL performance than patients scheduled for surgery.