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Psychological factors associated with short‐term recovery from total knee replacement
Author(s) -
Kendell Katherine,
Saxby Brian,
Farrow Malcolm,
Naisby Carolyn
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
british journal of health psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.05
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 2044-8287
pISSN - 1359-107X
DOI - 10.1348/135910701169043
Subject(s) - locus of control , rehabilitation , coping (psychology) , psychology , physical therapy , social support , knee surgery , total knee replacement , clinical psychology , medicine , osteoarthritis , developmental psychology , surgery , social psychology , alternative medicine , pathology
Objective. To identify the psychological factors that predict short‐term recovery following total knee replacement. Method. A group of 42 patients undergoing total knee replacement received a pre‐operative psychological assessment. Four self‐report questionnaires were completed: the Pain Coping Strategies Questionnaire; the Short Form Social Support Questionnaire; the Recovery Locus of Control Scale; and the Brief Symptom Inventory. Post‐operative outcome was assessed in terms of the number of days taken to achieve key physiotherapy milestones (straight leg raise; 90° bend of the knee) and discharge. Results. The three response variables were analysed separately using an ordinal regression. Internal locus of control was associated with a shorter time to achieve a straight leg raise. Larger values of catastrophizing were associated with longer times to achieve a 90° bend. There was a trend towards larger values of satisfaction with social support to be associated with an earlier achievement of the 90° bend. No psychological variables were found to be associated with the length of hospital stay. Conclusions. As suggested by previous studies, coping style and locus of control appear to be important in the rehabilitation process. The current data suggest that psychological variables could be usefully included in a pre‐operative assessment for total knee replacement.