Authors (including presenting author) :
Chung HT(1), Chan YY(1), Mak CH(1), Cheung CT(1), Lau WK(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Physiotherapy Department, Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital
Introduction :
The aims of Post Total Joint Clinic are to improve patient’s independence in terms of mobility, increase their functional level and promote their return to the community. In order to successfully become a community dweller, the capability and confidence to utilize public transportations is of utmost importance. However, current post-operative rehabilitation is in lack of the assessment and training of these community tasks. Deviations are present in patients’ training and real community tasks. The linkage between physical training and functional task has to be strengthened.
Objectives :
1. To establish a transportation-simulated environment for evaluation of patients’ capability of returning community 2. To provide TST to equip patients’ ability in tackling transportation tasks 3. To improve patients’ confidence in tackling public transportation 4. To accelerate patients’ community re-integration
Methodology :
In order to establish a transportation-simulated environment, field visits were conducted. Bus and minibus were surveyed. The surveying parameters included stairs height, width and depth. Assistive devices for stairs climbing were also surveyed, such as handrail design, visual cues of stairs, etc. After collecting characteristics of different stairs in the community, a 3-in-1 community simulating staircase was made, including regular, bus and minibus staircase. Task-specific assessment and training were able to conduct for the TJR patients with this staircase. An interventional study design with control group was employed. TJR patients in control group underwent conventional physiotherapy training before the implementation of TST while the other group of TJR patients in interventional group underwent conventional physiotherapy training and TST after the newly designed 3-in-1 community simulating staircase installed. The number of days for the patients to be able to take bus and minibus after operation were collected from both groups as outcome measures. An independent t-test was conducted for statistical analysis.
Result & Outcome :
50 TJR patients were recruited with 56.0% females from November,2018 to December,2019. There were 62.1% (p< 0.0001) and 64.9% (p< 0.0001) reduction in number of days for patients to be able to take bus and minibus after operation respectively. After implementation of TST, patients were able to take bus and minibus in average 21.8 days and 20.5 days post operation. Conclusion We concluded that the TST is able to accelerate patients’ re-integration to the community significantly.
