Abstract
A 78-year-old male who was 6 days status post left total knee arthroplasty, was seen for outpatient physical therapy for 16 sessions over an 8-week period. The plan of care was provided by a physical therapy student under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. The patient was evaluated at the initial encounter using the numeric pain rating scale, girth measurements, goniometry, manual muscle testing, gait analysis, 5 times sit to stand, timed up and go, and the Lower Extremity Functional Scale. The plan of care was established to address the patient’s knee pain and left knee edema, decreased left knee range of motion, functional left lower extremity (LE) muscle weakness, abnormal gait, reduced left LE function, and limitations in ability to participate in walking with his wife for more than 60 minutes. The main interventions used were manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, and patient education. The patient showed improvements in active range of motion, functional LE muscle strength, and LE function which allowed him to walk with his wife longer than 60 minutes at the park. The patient was discharged to home with a home exercise program.