The Effects of Task Complexity on Brake Response Time Before and After Primary Right Total Knee Arthroplasty
Abstract
Marques CJ, Cabri J, Barreiros J, Carita AI, Friesecke C, Loehr JF. The effects of task complexity on brake response time before and after primary right total knee arthroplasty.
Objective
To study the effects of an increase in task complexity on brake response time (BRT) in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
Design
A prospective repeated-measures design was used. The measurements took place 1 day before and 10 and 30 days after surgery.
Setting
Clinic.
Participants
The data of patients (N=21) who were admitted for primary total arthroplasty of the right knee were pooled for analysis.
Interventions
On each measurement day patients performed 5 practice and 10 test trials for 2 tasks (1 simple, 1 complex) in a car simulator. Task complexity was increased by adding a second movement to the first task performed.
Main Outcome Measures
BRT, reaction time (RT), and movement time were assessed.
Results
An increase in task complexity increased BRT, RT, and movement time at all measurement times. Right TKA increased BRT by increasing movement time. Thirty days after surgery BRT was no longer increased compared with preoperative values in both tasks.
Conclusions
Task complexity consistently increased BRT and its components. The effects of task complexity remained constant throughout the 3 measurements. After right TKA, we suggest patients should be advised to wait 30 days after surgery before resuming driving.
aCenter for Research in Physiotherapy, Faculty of Human Movement Studies, Technical University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
bHuman Motor Performance Research Center, Faculty of Human Movement Studies, Technical University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
cMathematic Methods Department, Faculty of Human Movement Studies, Technical University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
dDepartment of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, ENDO-Klinik Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
eDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, ENDO-Klinik Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
Reprint requests to Carlos J. Marques, MSc, PT, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department, ENDO-Klinik Hamburg, D-22767 Hamburg, Germany
Supported by the Gemeinnütziger Verein ENDO-Klinik eV.
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.
ABSTRACT