Devices for the prevention and treatment of knee stiffness after total knee arthroplasty.

Persistent pain and dysfunction following total knee arthroplasty require treatment beyond standard rehabilitation. This article discusses devices used to prevent and treat decreased range of motion. If deficits remain after initial standard therapy, multiple devices exist that can be used for nonoperative treatment. Load-control devices apply a constant force, producing variable soft-tissue displacement as tissues stretch. Static progressive stretch devices use the principle of stress relaxation by applying progressively increasing constant displacements. Both types of devices are reported to be effective in treating persistent knee stiffness. The authors feel that future developments will occur in improving treatment protocols for these devices.