Combining goal setting and achievement with occupational therapy to improve pain, psychological factors and physical activity in patients after high tibial osteotomy: A non-randomized controlled study

Yuki Hiraga; Shinya Hisano; Ryusei Hara; Katsuhiro Nomiyama; Yoshiyuki Hirakawa; Katsuko Hida

doi:10.1177/1569186120985296

Combining goal setting and achievement with occupational therapy to improve pain, psychological factors and physical activity in patients after high tibial osteotomy: A non-randomized controlled study

Hong Kong J Occup Ther. 2021 Jun;34(1):23-29. doi: 10.1177/1569186120985296. Epub 2021 Mar 17.

Authors

Yuki Hiraga¹, Shinya Hisano², Ryusei Hara³, Katsuhiro Nomiyama³, Yoshiyuki Hirakawa³, Katsuko Hida¹

Affiliations

¹ International University of Health and Welfare, Japan.
² Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Japan.
³ Fukuoka Rehabilitation Hospital, Japan.

Abstract

Background: Psychological factors contribute to chronic pain and may lead to physical inactivity and poor functional outcomes.

Purpose: We conducted a non-randomized controlled study to evaluate the effectiveness of goal setting and achievement following occupational therapy (OT) intervention to improve pain, psychological factors, and physical activity among patients after high tibial osteotomy (HTO).

Method: We analyzed the data of 31 patients who underwent HTO, allocated into OT intervention and control groups. Goal achievement was encouraged through OT in the intervention groups; the control groups did not receive OT intervention. Outcome measures included the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) score (before and after the OT intervention), walking pain, pain catastrophizing, anxiety, depression, pain self-efficacy, and physical activity level.

Results: OT significantly improved the COPM score, depression, and physical activity. At the final assessment, the depression score was lower while the step count and physical activity time were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Embedding goal setting and achievement as part of an OT intervention improved the outcomes after HTO.

Keywords: Goal achievement; high tibial osteotomy; occupational therapy; physical activity; psychological factor.