Investigating new models of care for prehabilitation in total hip and knee arthroplasty

Total hip and knee arthroplasty surgeries are among the most common and cost-effective elective surgeries performed in medicine, and with the increasingly ageing and obese population, the demand for these surgeries is likely to escalate. Research shows that reduced physical and mental health prior to total joint replacement surgery are predictors of delayed post-surgery recovery. Prehabilitation is commonly offered to patients undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty as a means of optimising function prior to surgery and preventing unsatisfactory post-operative outcomes. However, the effectiveness of prehabilitation remains unclear in this population and research commonly applies a “blanket approach” to care. Therefore, this research aims to define prehabilitation success in the total hip and knee arthroplasty population, understand the barriers and enablers to effective prehabilitation interventions from key stakeholders, and develop a new model of care that is focused on stratifying care to meet individual needs.