Effect of total knee arthroplasty on quadriceps and hamstring muscle recovery in individuals with knee osteoarthritis: A proposed systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

Knee osteoarthritis is a prevalent degenerative joint disease leading to pain, stiffness, reduced mobility in the knee, and muscle weakness. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is typically the preferred surgical treatment option for moderate to severe osteoarthritis. A deeper understanding of quadriceps and hamstring muscle activation after TKA is needed to monitor patient prognosis postoperatively. This review aims to synthesize and summarize the available evidence on the effects of TKA on quadriceps and hamstring muscle recovery in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, EMBASE, and ProQuest Health & Medical Complete will be searched using relevant keywords related to knee osteoarthritis, total knee arthroplasty, surface electromyography and quadriceps and hamstring muscle recovery. Two reviewers will independently assess the related studies and extract data from the chosen articles. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool-1 and the Joanna Briggs critical appraisal checklist will be used to assess the methodological quality of the studies based on study design. Based on the relevance of the data and number of studies, a meta-analysis approach will be used to obtain a unified outcome. This review's findings will support clinical decision-making and offer direction for future researchers studying this patient population. Bullet points that outline the protocol•This proposed systematic review, and meta-analysis will summarize and synthesize literature on the effect of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) on quadriceps and hamstring muscle recovery in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.•This review offers important insights into knee muscle recovery following TKA, assisting orthopedic surgeons and rehabilitation professionals in improving their clinical decision-making.