Optimizing Complex Cases in Joint Arthroplasty

Video Runtime: 63 Minutes; Learning Assessment Time: 25 Minutes

Achieving superior clinical results after joint replacement requires moving beyond standard protocols to address patients who have not achieved normative surgical expectations. While joint arthroplasty is generally successful, approximately 20% of knee patients remain dissatisfied, and many hip patients continue to experience persistent gait abnormalities and increased fall risks. This course provides a comprehensive troubleshooting framework for identifying the underlying causes of chronic pain, stiffness, and mechanical dysfunction in the shoulder, hip, and knee. Participants will master advanced motor control strategies and manual therapy techniques, such as short-lever deltoid facilitation and lumbopelvic corrective exercises, to resolve complex issues, such as the “shoulder shrug” and pelvic asymmetry. Designed for physical therapists and healthcare providers in outpatient settings, this curriculum offers evidence-based solutions for the most challenging postoperative cases, ensuring every patient returns to a high level of function.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the underlying factors that lead total shoulder arthroplasty patients to develop compensatory shoulder hike or shrug patterns
• Select appropriate motor-control treatment strategies to promote a faster and more normalized gait pattern following knee and hip arthroplasty
• Deduce sources of pain in total hip and knee patients by identifying probable contributing factors
• Implement manual therapy and corrective exercise interventions to address stiffness in total knee arthroplasty patients
• Integrate corrective exercise strategies to reduce fall risk in individuals following total hip or total knee arthroplasty