OBJECTIVE: To develop clinical practice guidelines concerning the use of continuous passive motion (CPM) compared with intermittent mobilization after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHOD: We used the SOFMER (French Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Society) methodology, combining systematic literature review and collection of everyday clinical practice concerning postoperative rehabilitation techniques and external review by a multidisciplinary expert panel, to develop the guidelines. RESULTS: The literature contains no evidence of the advantages of CPM over other techniques of mobilization, although CPM could be adjuvant therapy used to accelerate short-term recovery. However, in France, CPM remains widely used after TKA, both in orthopedic surgery units and in physical medicine and rehabilitation services. CONCLUSION: Good methodological quality studies are needed to assess different CPM modalities and compare them to alternative intermittent mobilization techniques, particularly those with therapy starting from a flexed position.
OBJECTIVE: To develop clinical practice guidelines concerning the use of continuous passive motion (CPM) compared with intermittent mobilization after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHOD: We used the SOFMER (French Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Society) methodology, combining systematic literature review and collection of everyday clinical practice concerning postoperative rehabilitation techniques and external review by a multidisciplinary expert panel, to develop the guidelines. RESULTS: The literature contains no evidence of the advantages of CPM over other techniques of mobilization, although CPM could be adjuvant therapy used to accelerate short-term recovery. However, in France, CPM remains widely used after TKA, both in orthopedic surgery units and in physical medicine and rehabilitation services. CONCLUSION: Good methodological quality studies are needed to assess different CPM modalities and compare them to alternative intermittent mobilization techniques, particularly those with therapy starting from a flexed position.