Muscle Activation Thresholds before and after Total Knee Arthroplasty - Protocol of a Randomized Comparison of Minimally Invasive vs. Standard Approach

After total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients often ask when they can resume car driving. This question was the aim of some studies in the past, however it is not clear whether minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for total knee replacement has benefits in terms of faster recovering times. With the present study protocol the effects of two surgery techniques for TKA (MIS vs. standard approach) on motor performance parameters will be tested during the performance of an emergency brake in a car simulator. The brake response time components and the muscle activation thresholds of four muscles involved in the task will be the outcomes of the study.