This study will answer the following research questions: Are there any significant differences between combination of early active knee ROM exercises and weight bearing versus early passive ROM with delayed weight bearing on pain intensity, ROM knee flexion and extension, function, and radiological healing in treatment of patients with TPFs fixed with plates and screws?
This study will be conducted to compare the effects of combining early active knee ROM exercises and weight bearing versus early passive ROM and delayed weight bearing on pain intensity, ROM knee flexion and extension, function, and radiological healing in treatment of patients with TPFs fixed with plates and screws. Tibial plateau fractures are associated with unfavorable outcomes due to a variety of factors, including soft tissue envelopes and cartilage damage, comorbidities such as compartment syndrome, postoperative infection, stiffness or malfunction of the knee, and even post-traumatic osteoarthritis (Narang et al., 2021). Consequently, they not only present surgical challenges but also have serious negative effects on function and quality of life (Arnold et al., 2017; Bhamra and Naqvi, 2021). Physical therapy including active exercises is well supported in literature but in the late phases of rehabilitation. The concept of introducing early active exercises to patients undergoing rehabilitation following TPFs repaired with implants isn't well-supported in the literature. There aren't any comprehensive studies that specifically examine the application of early active exercises for TPFs repaired with plates and screws (Phansopkar et al., 2022). There are few studies in form of case reports that applied early active exercises for patients with TPFs. It was found that appropriate surgical intervention followed with planned exercise protocol focussing on long term benefits can greatly help patients with TPFs to achieve early pain free mobility in lower limbs (Narang et al., 2021; Arya and Harjpal, 2023; Bhure et al., 2022). this study will assess the long term effects of the treatment program for patients with TPFs fixed with plates and screws. So this study will be conducted, using valid and reliable methods and instrumentations, to determine if there are any effects of combined effect of early active 6 exercises and early weight bearing in treatment of patients with TPFs fixed with plates and screws which will add a new step in the pyramid of evidence for the best treatment methods for patients with TPFs fixed with plates and screws.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
28
The difference between each group is in the first four weeks and the type of program group one started with active exercise from the first day 38 group 2 active exercises started from week five at the first four weeks program is done by passive ROM modalities and by the physiotherapist. Early weight bearing is early in group 1 from the first week and late in group 2 after four weeks
faculty of physical therapy cairo university, Giza,
Giza, Giza Governorate, Egypt
Numerical Pain Rating Scale
This scale will be used to measure pain intensity. It is a valid and reliable scale for pain intensity measurement, (
Time frame: 5 min
Modified Rasmussen Radiologic Score
This chart is valid measurement tool for assessing fracture healing
Time frame: 5 min
Universal Goniometer
This tool will be used to measure ROM of knee flexion and extension. The goniometer is a 360° protractor with one axis that joins two arms; a stationary arm and a movable one around the fulcrum of the protractor, (Figure 6). It is a valid and reliable tool in measurement of knee ROM (Acar et al., 2024).
Time frame: 5 min
Arabic version of the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)
This scale will be used to assess function. The KOOS scale's creators demonstrated the scale has excellent internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct validity. In addition, it has responsiveness to variations in bodily function (Torad, A et al., 2015). The KOOS-AR is a valid indicator of activity limitation brought on by musculoskeletal problems of the lower 27 extremities. It also has excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability with relatively small measurement error, (Appendix II), (Almangoush,.,et al., 2013).
Time frame: 5 min
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