Digitally Supported Short-Term Prehabilitation Before Total Knee Replacement

This study evaluates the feasibility of a short-term, digitally supported prehabilitation program for patients scheduled for elective total knee replacement (TKR). Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability, and recovery following TKR remains heterogeneous, with a substantial proportion of patients experiencing delayed functional recovery. Prehabilitation may improve perioperative outcomes, but its implementation is often limited by short preoperative time windows.

The Prehab2Rehab-KneeTEP trial is a single-center, two-arm, randomized controlled feasibility study conducted in Austria. Patients will be randomized (1:1) to either a multimodal video-supported prehabilitation program or usual care. The intervention consists of a 10 to 14-day preoperative exercise program including strength, endurance, coordination, and gait training, supported by a digital application, and is complemented by a digitally supported transition phase after hospital discharge until the start of inpatient rehabilitation.

The primary objective is to assess feasibility in terms of recruitment, retention, adherence, fidelity, acceptability, and safety. Secondary exploratory outcomes include clinical recovery indicators, functional performance, and patient-reported outcomes assessed across the perioperative pathway.