Race Differences in Post-Acute Physical Therapy Utilization and Patient-Reported Function after Total Knee Arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVE This observational cohort study included patients of Black and White race and non-Hispanic ethnicity with end-stage knee osteoarthritis who were scheduled to receive total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery. We examined whether there are race differences in (1) use of physical therapy (PT) across all post-acute settings and (2) patient-reported physical function following TKA. METHODS We collected pre- and post-operative physical function data and post-operative rehabilitation data on 104 Black and White individuals undergoing TKA. Regression analyses and independent samples t-tests were used to explore the predictive value of race on post-operative functional outcome and compare PT utilization within each post-acute setting and across all post-acute rehabilitation settings. RESULTS Total PT received was similar between White and Black participants, but there were significant race differences in PT utilization within specific settings. Race did not significantly predict function after TKA, but Black participants had slightly lower self-reported function both before and after surgery than White participants. CONCLUSION This is the first study to examine both PT utilization and functional outcomes in a sample of individuals undergoing TKA, and results indicate differences in where post-operative PT is received between Black and White patients.