Land-Based Versus Pool-Based Exercise for People Awaiting Joint Replacement Surgery of the Hip Or Knee: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial (Clinically Applicable Papersee) (Clinical Report‪)‬

Gill SD, McBurney H and Schulz DL (2009): Land-based versus pool-based exercise for people awaiting joint replacement surgery of the hip or knee: results of a randomized controlled trial. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 90: 388-394 (Abstract prepared by Cheryl Rudisile-Smith, Marissa Loosli and Jason Brumitt) Background: Individuals with either knee or hip osteoarthritis are at risk of experiencing pain and developing functional limitations (Bennell 2005). In many cases, to alleviate pain and improve one's quality of life, an individual may require a total joint replacement. Despite advances in surgical technique and joint replacement hardware, surgical procedures are not without risk. Conservative treatments, including therapeutic exercise programmes, may improve a patient's status while avoiding the potential risks associated with surgery (pain, medication utilisation, long bouts of rehabilitation, and/ or death). Researchers have demonstrated that some patients may experience improvements in pain and functional abilities after participating in either land-based or aquatic-based exercise programmes (Maurer et al 1999, Hinman et al 2007). However, according to Gill et al (2009), there is paucity of literature addressing post-exercise outcomes in individuals who are scheduled for either hip or knee joint replacement surgery.