Use of Cryopressotherapy in Patiens Undergoing Total Knee Replacement to Improve Clinical Outcome

Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that causes cartilage wear, leading to pain, stiffness, and difficulty moving. It mainly affects older adults, but it can also occur in younger individuals in cases of genetic predisposition or trauma. Symptoms include pain during or after physical activity, swelling, and difficulty walking.

Initial treatment is based on physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory medications, and injections, but if the disease progresses, a total knee replacement with a prosthesis may become necessary. Modern prostheses are made with advanced materials and minimally invasive surgical techniques, improving postoperative recovery.

Using ice in the first few days after surgery is crucial to reducing pain and swelling, improving functional recovery, and lowering the need for pain medications, such as opioids. Moreover, ice therapy promotes early rehabilitation and reduces hospitalization time. Cryotherapy may also help lower healthcare costs thanks to more effective pain management.

Advanced continuous cooling devices, although promising, require further studies to confirm their effectiveness.

The aim of the study is therefore to assess whether the cryopressotherapy protocol leads to an improvement in clinical outcomes in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA), earlier mobilization, and reduced use of pain medication.

Inclusion criteria

• Candidates for elective total knee arthroplasty surgery (indication determined solely by the Orthopedic Surgeon)
• Patients aged between 18 and 80 years (inclusive) for both groups
• Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 35 kg/m²
• Willingness and ability to provide informed consent
• Patients with non-inflammatory degenerative knee joint disease, including osteoarthritis

Exclusion criteria

• Use of medications that may interfere with muscle metabolism
• Bone metastases or diseases at the surgical site
• Presence or suspicion of infection at the knee
• Inability to provide informed consent
• Obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m²)
• Patients requiring revision surgery of total knee arthroplasty
• Patients with pacemakers and/or mechanical implants or those who may be affected by BIA interference