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Implementation of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation After Total Knee Arthroplasty
Sponsor: University of Colorado, Denver
Summary
Patients experience dramatic quadriceps strength loss after total knee replacement, which contributes to persistent weakness and reduced long-term function after surgery. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) reduces quadriceps weakness and improves patient function after knee replacement, but it is drastically underused in rehabilitation practice. This randomized trial will examine the effectiveness and feasibility of a comprehensive strategy for implementing neuromuscular electrical stimulation after knee replacement in two large healthcare organizations.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
3250
Start Date
2025-05-12
Completion Date
2029-04
Last Updated
2025-09-29
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
NMES
The NMES intervention protocol in this study ensures patients receive NMES intervention that is adequately dosed (dose = treatment minutes x intensity), delivered using evidence-based parameters, and feasible. The investigators will deliver NMES using a portable two-channel stimulator that the investigators have found to produce stronger muscle contractions than other portable NMES units and has been used in previous clinical studies. It also has a built-in compliance meter to monitor patient treatment minutes (adherence) to NMES application. NMES sites will perform routine collection of outcomes as part of standard practice.
Usual Care
Usual Care clinics will continue with routine collection and documentation of physical performance outcomes as standard practice. A combination of chart reviews and on-site or remote observation will allow for characterization of usual care components for descriptive comparison. Usual Care clinics including the facility, rehabilitation clinicians, and patients will not have access to NMES materials developed for this study.
Locations (3)
UCHealth
Aurora, Colorado, United States
University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz
Aurora, Colorado, United States
Intermountain Health
Murray, Utah, United States