Descriptive characteristics at baseline by treatment group
| Usual care (n=312) | Home-based rehab (n=309) | Total (n=621) | |
| Gender* | |||
| Male | 125 (40.1%) | 125 (40.5%) | 250 (40.3%) |
| Female | 187 (59.9%) | 184 (59.5%) | 371 (59.7%) |
| Age (years)† | 70.18 (8.14) | 70.67 (8.01) | 70.42 (8.07) |
| BMI† | 31.65 (4.99) | 31.34 (4.48) | 31.50 (4.74) |
| Side of operation* | |||
| Right | 169 (54.2%) | 169 (54.7%) | 338 (54.4%) |
| Left | 142 (45.5%) | 139 (45.0%) | 281 (45.2%) |
| Not recorded | 1 (0.3%) | 1 (0.3%) | 2 (0.3%) |
| Knee arthroplasty type* | |||
| TKA | 229 (73.4%) | 231 (74.8%) | 460 (74.1%) |
| UKA | 82 (26.3%) | 77 (24.9%) | 159 (25.6%) |
| Not recorded | 1 (0.3%) | 1 (0.3%) | 2 (0.3%) |
| ASA grade* | |||
| Healthy | 38 (12.2%) | 55 (17.8%) | 93 (15.0%) |
| Mild systemic disease | 218 (69.9%) | 202 (65.4%) | 420 (67.6%) |
| Severe systemic disease | 43 (13.8%) | 44 (14.2%) | 87 (14.0%) |
| Not recorded | 13 (4.2%) | 8 (2.6%) | 21 (3.4%) |
| Falls in the last year* | |||
| Yes | 77 (24.7%) | 89 (28.8%) | 166 (26.7%) |
| No | 235 (75.3%) | 220 (71.2%) | 455 (73.3%) |
| If yes, no of falls‡ | 1 (1, 3) | 2 (1, 3) | 2 (1, 3) |
| Previous lower limb surgery* | |||
| Yes | 200 (64.1%) | 189 (61.2%) | 389 (62.6%) |
| No | 112 (35.9%) | 120 (38.8%) | 232 (37.4%) |
| Screening tool score‡ | 6 (5, 6) | 6 (5, 6) | 6 (5, 6) |
| Charnley ABC* | |||
| A—single knee arthroplasty | 134 (42.9%) | 138 (44.7%) | 272 (43.8%) |
| B—both knees affected | 140 (44.9%) | 145 (46.9%) | 285 (45.9%) |
| C—multiple joint disease/other disability | 38 (12.2%) | 26 (8.4%) | 64 (10.3%) |
| Stairs mobility* | |||
| Normal | 19 (6.1%) | 19 (6.1%) | 38 (6.1%) |
| One step at a time | 34 (10.9%) | 39 (12.6%) | 73 (11.8%) |
| Down with rail | 18 (5.8%) | 19 (6.1%) | 37 (6.0%) |
| Up/down with rail | 225 (72.1%) | 216 (69.9%) | 441 (71.0%) |
| Unable down | 2 (0.6%) | 3 (1.0%) | 5 (0.8%) |
| Unable | 14 (4.5%) | 12 (3.9%) | 26 (4.2%) |
| Missing | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (0.3%) | 1 (0.2%) |
| Support mobility* | |||
| None | 178 (57.1%) | 178 (57.6%) | 356 (57.3%) |
| Stick outdoors | 83 (26.6%) | 78 (25.2%) | 161 (25.9%) |
| Stick always | 34 (10.9%) | 31 (10.0%) | 65 (10.5%) |
| Two sticks | 6 (1.9%) | 7 (2.3%) | 13 (2.1%) |
| Two crutches | 5 (1.6%) | 7 (2.3%) | 12 (1.9%) |
| Walking frame | 6 (1.9%) | 8 (2.6%) | 14 (2.3%) |
| Functional Comorbidity Index§ | |||
| 0 | 189 (60.6%) | 176 (57.0%) | 365 (58.8%) |
| 1–3 | 112 (35.9%) | 125 (40.5%) | 237 (38.2%) |
| 4–6 | 8 (2.6%) | 6 (1.9%) | 14 (2.3%) |
| 7+ | 2 (0.6%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (0.3%) |
| Missing | 1 (0.3%) | 2 (0.6%) | 3 (0.5%) |
*These values are reported as numbers and percentages.
†These values are reported as means and SD.
‡These values are reported as medians and IQR.
§The Functional Comorbidity Index (85) counts the number of comorbidities experienced by each patient, giving more weight to more severe conditions. This was categorised in four groups: (1) no comorbidities (0), (2) small number of comorbidities,1–3 (3) medium number of comorbidities4–6 and (4) high number of comorbidities (7+).
ASA, American Society of Anesthesiologists; BMI, body mass index; TKA, total knee arthroplasty; UKA, unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.