Influence of preoperative high-intensity interval training on the rehabilitation effect of total knee arthroplasty in patients with knee osteoarthritis

WANG Lin; LIAO Weicheng; DI Haiwei; WANG Qi

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Medical Journal of the Chinese People Armed Police Forces ›› 2025, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (8) : 693-698.

WANG Lin, LIAO Weicheng, DI Haiwei, WANG Qi

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Abstract

Objective To evaluate the effects of preoperative high-intensity interval training （HIIT） on the rehabilitation effect of total knee arthroplasty（TKA）in patients with knee osteoarthritis （KOA）. Methods A total of 50 KOA patients scheduled for unilateral TKA at the Characteristics Medical Center of Chinese People’s Armed Police Force between January 2020 and June 2024 were enrolled and randomly assigned into an observation group or a control group, with 25 patients in each group. The observation group underwent a 6-week preoperative high-intensity interval training （HIIT）, while the control group received moderate-intensity training for 6 weeks. Assessments were conducted at baseline （T0）, preoperatively （T1）, and at 1 month （T2） and 3 months （T3） postoperatively, including maximal oxygen uptake （VO2max）, Hospital for Special Surgery （HSS） knee score, visual analog scale （VAS） for pain, passive range of motion （PROM）, 30-second sit-to-stand test （STS）, and wall-sit time （IST）. The incidence of adverse events during the intervention period was also compared between the two groups. Results Baseline features and outcome measures showed no significant differences between groups at T0. Compared with the control group,the observation group demonstrated significantly higher VO2max at all post-intervention time points （T1-T3）（P<0.05）. At T3, the observation group achieved superior outcomes in HSS score （87.84 ± 3.01）, PROM （114.00）, and VAS score 1.50 （P<0.05）, as well as in STS （22.54 ± 3.14） repetitions and IST （70.60 ± 14.27） s （P<0.05）. Generalized estimating equation analysis revealed that age was negatively correlated with VO₂max （P<0.05）, and BMI had a significant adverse effect on PROM and IST （P<0.05）. No severe adverse events were reported, confirming the safety and feasibility of the HIIT protocol. Conclusions Preoperative HIIT is a safe and feasible preoperative exercise intervention method, which can improve the cardiopulmonary fitness,knee joint function,and lower limb muscular endurance in KOA patients,and alleviate postoperative pain.

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knee osteoarthritis / total knee arthroplasty / high-intensity interval training / cardiopulmonary function / rehabilitation outcomes

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WANG Lin, LIAO Weicheng, DI Haiwei, WANG Qi. Influence of preoperative high-intensity interval training on the rehabilitation effect of total knee arthroplasty in patients with knee osteoarthritis[J]. Medical Journal of the Chinese People Armed Police Forces. 2025, 36(8): 693-698

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