Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible for inclusion.
Specific interventions included in the review
Studies of pre-operative interventions that included a formal physical therapy or exercise programme for the lower limbs compared with either routine pre-operative care or other intervention, such as video instruction, were eligible for inclusion. Studies that included only education about exercise or a one-off physiotherapy session were excluded. The included studies evaluated 15 or 18 pre-operative exercise sessions over 5 or 6 weeks in comparison with no pre-operative treatment or a one-off pre-operative meeting with printed material.
Participants included in the review
Studies of adults aged 55 years or older with osteoarthritis, who were undergoing a primary TKR, were eligible for inclusion. Patients undergoing unicondylar knee replacement were also eligible for inclusion.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Studies that evaluated outcomes related to mobility (e.g. distance or speed of walking) or function (e.g. a measure of the ability to perform lower limb functions) were eligible for inclusion. Only studies that used a validated measurement scale were included. One of the included studies measured mobility outcomes and the other measured function outcomes.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The author did not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many reviewers performed the selection.