On 2016 Apr 12, Martin Hofmeister commented:

Do not forget published reviews

I thank Dr Mat Eil Ismail et al, for their interesting article "Preoperative physiotherapy and short-term functional outcomes of primary total knee arthroplasty", published in the March 2016 issue of the Singapore Medical Journal (SMJ). There is one aspect worth mentioning. In my opinion, systematic reviews of the past five years should be included in an original article consistent with good scientific practice. The reviews of Kwok et al, Jordan et al, Simmons et al and the Australian Agency for Clinical Innovation about the evidence of preoperative physiotherapy on outcomes following total knee arthroplasty are not mentioned in the discussion (1-4). The results of the SMJ study reconfirm the above-mentioned reviews: No statistically significant effect in patient key outcomes (1-4). I refer readers to the latest meta-analysis "Does preoperative rehabilitation for patients planning to undergo joint replacement surgery improve outcomes?" that can be found in the February 2016 issue of the BMJ Open (5).

REFERENCES

1) Kwok IH, Paton B, Haddad FS. Does Pre-Operative Physiotherapy Improve Outcomes in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty? - A Systematic Review. J Arthroplasty. 2015;30:1657-63. Kwok IH, 2015

2) Jordan RW, Smith NA, Chahal GS, Casson C, Reed MR, Sprowson AP. Enhanced education and physiotherapy before knee replacement; is it worth it? A systematic review. Physiotherapy. 2014;100:305-12. Jordan RW, 2014

3) Simmons L, Smith T. Effectiveness of pre-operative physiotherapy-based programmes on outcomes following total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Phys Ther Rev. 2013;18:1-10. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/1743288X12Y.0000000035?journalCode=yptr20

4) NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (NSW ACI). Musculoskeletal Network: NSW Evidence Review: preoperative, perioperative and postoperative care of elective primary total hip and knee replacement. Chatswood, Australia: Agency for Clinical Innovation, 2012. Available at: http://www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/172091/EJR-Evidence-Review.PDF. Accessed 22 March 2016.

5) Wang L, Lee M, Zhang Z, Moodie J, Cheng D, Martin J. Does preoperative rehabilitation for patients planning to undergo joint replacement surgery improve outcomes? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ Open 2016;6:e009857. Wang L, 2016

On 2016 Apr 12, Martin Hofmeister commented:

Do not forget published reviews

I thank Dr Mat Eil Ismail et al, for their interesting article "Preoperative physiotherapy and short-term functional outcomes of primary total knee arthroplasty", published in the March 2016 issue of the Singapore Medical Journal (SMJ). There is one aspect worth mentioning. In my opinion, systematic reviews of the past five years should be included in an original article consistent with good scientific practice. The reviews of Kwok et al, Jordan et al, Simmons et al and the Australian Agency for Clinical Innovation about the evidence of preoperative physiotherapy on outcomes following total knee arthroplasty are not mentioned in the discussion (1-4). The results of the SMJ study reconfirm the above-mentioned reviews: No statistically significant effect in patient key outcomes (1-4). I refer readers to the latest meta-analysis "Does preoperative rehabilitation for patients planning to undergo joint replacement surgery improve outcomes?" that can be found in the February 2016 issue of the BMJ Open (5).

REFERENCES

1) Kwok IH, Paton B, Haddad FS. Does Pre-Operative Physiotherapy Improve Outcomes in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty? - A Systematic Review. J Arthroplasty. 2015;30:1657-63. Kwok IH, 2015

2) Jordan RW, Smith NA, Chahal GS, Casson C, Reed MR, Sprowson AP. Enhanced education and physiotherapy before knee replacement; is it worth it? A systematic review. Physiotherapy. 2014;100:305-12. Jordan RW, 2014

3) Simmons L, Smith T. Effectiveness of pre-operative physiotherapy-based programmes on outcomes following total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Phys Ther Rev. 2013;18:1-10. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/1743288X12Y.0000000035?journalCode=yptr20

4) NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation (NSW ACI). Musculoskeletal Network: NSW Evidence Review: preoperative, perioperative and postoperative care of elective primary total hip and knee replacement. Chatswood, Australia: Agency for Clinical Innovation, 2012. Available at: http://www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/172091/EJR-Evidence-Review.PDF. Accessed 22 March 2016.

5) Wang L, Lee M, Zhang Z, Moodie J, Cheng D, Martin J. Does preoperative rehabilitation for patients planning to undergo joint replacement surgery improve outcomes? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ Open 2016;6:e009857. Wang L, 2016