Exploring patients’ experiences of self-management in rehabilitation following total knee arthroplasty: A qualitative study

Self-management during the rehabilitation of patients following total knee arthroplasty presents several challenges, with approximately 20% of patients failing to meet their recovery expectations due to inadequate self-management during the postoperative rehabilitation process. This study aimed to explore the experiences of patients with self-management during rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty. Twenty-four participants who had undergone total knee arthroplasty in China participated in semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was used to analyze the interview data, revealing four themes: distress from postoperative complications, knowledge and guidance needs during the rehabilitation process, negative beliefs and attitudes, and fears and worries. The results indicated that participants’ self-management during rehabilitation after surgery was hindered by postoperative complications. Additionally, the participants exhibited negative attitudes and experienced psychological issues related to self-management during rehabilitation. We recommend that future rehabilitation efforts for patients following total knee arthroplasty should emphasize enhanced guidance and supervision, while also addressing their psychological challenges.