ReStARt Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of an optimal physiotherapy intervention for arthrofibrosis following total knee replacement
IRAS ID
313470
Contact name
Michelle Hall
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 31 days
Research summary
Arthrofibrosis is a complication that can arise after Total Knee Replacement. It severely restricts knee movement, causes pain and reduces people's mobility and carry out everyday activities. There are no guidelines as to how best to treat this and treatment varies across the NHS. Most people will have additional physiotherapy but it is not clear exactly what this should involve. If physiotherapy does not help, patients can undergo a procedure called a manipulation under anaesthetic but this is costly and patients are more likely to need a further knee replacement longer term. This research aims to develop an optimal physiotherapy intervention to improve outcomes for patients and reduce the need for further procedures and surgery that can then be tested in a clinical trial.
After reviewing the existing evidence of non-surgical interventions, we will interview patients with arthrofibrosis to understand the impact it has on their life and what outcomes are important to them, and HCPs to understand their experiences of treating patients with arthrofibrosis in the NHS.
We will undertake a series of surveys with a larger group of HCPs and patients to vote and agree what an optimal
intervention should include. Finally, we will run a workshop with patients, HCPs and health-care commissioners
where we will present all our findings and work in small groups to finalise the intervention and how it should be delivered.We will invite people who have had arthrofibrosis after TKR and HCPs who treat them to participate in our research, recruiting through orthopaedic hospitals which carry out high numbers of TKR. Individual participants can choose to take part in a single interview by phone or video-call lasting 1 hour; a series of surveys lasting 4 months and the workshop which will last 1 day. The study will last 18 months. Participants may be involved for 12 months.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/EE/0205
Date of REC Opinion
3 Oct 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion