Development and preliminary validation of a new protocol for postoperative rehabilitation of partial meniscectomy

Abstract

Background: Meniscal injuries are common among athletic populations and are one of the most common indications of knee joint surgeries. Meniscectomies are a common practice among orthopaedic surgeons in meniscal injury surgical treatment. Currently, no consensus exists for a standardized postoperative rehabilitation protocol after partial meniscectomy. Purpose: This article describes the development and validation of a new rehabilitation protocol for the management of meniscus injury after partial meniscectomy. Methods: A rehabilitation protocol for the postoperative meniscectomy was developed based on literature reviews. Evaluation from clinical experts were done by a 2-hour discussion with a group of seven clinicians to validate the protocol. Finally, an experimental design was used to test the effectiveness of the proposed protocol on a sample of 38 patients who had partial meniscectomies. Results: The final protocol included easy step-by-step directions for physiotherapists. The experts’ validation process resulted in modifications related to clarity, feasibility, technical descriptions, and usability. Our experimental study showed significant improvement of knee joint functions compared to a conventional physiotherapy group. Conclusions: Our final protocol includes detailed instructions which a physiotherapist should be able to follow up rehabilitate patients who have undergone partial meniscectomy from the third day post-surgery until 8 weeks post-surgery. The protocol is clear, easy to follow, and applicable in rehabilitation settings.