Implementation of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation After Total Knee Arthroplasty
University of Colorado, Denver
3,250 participants
May 12, 2025
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
Patients experience dramatic quadriceps strength loss after total knee replacement, which contributes to persistent weakness and reduced long-term function after surgery. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) reduces quadriceps weakness and improves patient function after knee replacement, but it is drastically underused in rehabilitation practice. This randomized trial will examine the effectiveness and feasibility of a comprehensive strategy for implementing neuromuscular electrical stimulation after knee replacement in two large healthcare organizations.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria4
- • UCHealth or Intermountain Health outpatient physical therapy clinic
- Underwent primary unilateral TKA
- Attended outpatient rehabilitation at a participating clinic within 5 days after TKA
- Attended at least 3 total outpatient physical therapy visits in total
Exclusion Criteria2
- NMES Contraindications \[Patients with implanted cardiovascular cardiovertedefibrillator (ICD), active cancer, post-operative diagnosed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in involved lower extremity\]
- Previous lower extremity arthroplasty less than 12 weeks prior to scheduled TKA surgical date
Interested in this trial?
Get notified about updates and connect with the research team.
Interventions
The NMES intervention protocol in this study ensures patients receive NMES intervention that is adequately dosed (dose = treatment minutes x intensity), delivered using evidence-based parameters, and feasible. The investigators will deliver NMES using a portable two-channel stimulator that the investigators have found to produce stronger muscle contractions than other portable NMES units and has been used in previous clinical studies. It also has a built-in compliance meter to monitor patient treatment minutes (adherence) to NMES application. NMES sites will perform routine collection of outcomes as part of standard practice.
Usual Care clinics will continue with routine collection and documentation of physical performance outcomes as standard practice. A combination of chart reviews and on-site or remote observation will allow for characterization of usual care components for descriptive comparison. Usual Care clinics including the facility, rehabilitation clinicians, and patients will not have access to NMES materials developed for this study.
Locations(3)
View Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov
For the most up-to-date information, visit the official listing.
NCT06953375