Multicenter prospective cohort study (Boston + Montreal, n=222 with follow-up) asking whether OA patients with worse preoperative physical function can achieve equivalent postoperative outcomes after THR or TKR compared to those with better baseline function, using SF-36 and WOMAC measured preoperatively and at 3 and 6 months.
When counseling a patient with hip or knee OA who is delaying surgery, this data supports the argument that waiting until function is severely impaired — not just until pain is intolerable.
May permanently limit what surgery can recover, especially for TKR. Set expectations early: the postoperative functional ceiling tracks closely with where the patient starts.
Multicenter prospective cohort study (Boston + Montreal, n=222 with follow-up) asking whether OA patients with worse preoperative physical function can achieve equivalent postoperative outcomes after THR or TKR compared to those with better baseline function, using SF-36 and WOMAC measured preoperatively and at 3 and 6 months.
When counseling a patient with hip or knee OA who is delaying surgery, this data supports the argument that waiting until function is severely impaired — not just until pain is intolerable.
May permanently limit what surgery can recover, especially for TKR. Set expectations early: the postoperative functional ceiling tracks closely with where the patient starts.