Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of BMI on the early outcomes of total knee arthroplasty in patients with primary osteoarthritis of the knee.
Material and methods: The study involved a group of 59 patients who were examined twice. Patients were divided into 3 groups on the basis of their BMI (G1: BMI < 29.99 kg/m²; G2: BMI 30.00-34.99 kg/m²; G3: BMI > 35.00 kg/m²). A 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the severity of pain in the affected knee joint (pre- and post-surgery). The WOMAC questionnaire was used to assess the functional status of the patient.
Results: The highest values of a correlation index (r) were observed for the correlations between the BMI and WOMAC questionnaire scores for pain (r = 0.55), the level of physical activity (r = 0.47) and the total score (r = 0.56).
Conclusions: 1. Increased body weight and a high BMI (above 35.00 kg/m²) influence the level of pain severity in the operated knee joint and physical activity of the patient after the surgery. 2. The results indicate the need for further evaluation of BMI as a prognostic factor in the planning of physiotherapy in patients treated for idiopathic osteoarthritis of the knee joint after total knee arthroplasty.