Functional Performance Tests Following Unilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty: Protocol for a Scoping Review

Abstract

Aims: To outline a protocol for a scoping review that will systematically map and synthesize the literature on the use of the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), 2-Minute Walk Test (2MWT), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and other standardized walk tests for assessing functional performance in patients following unilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA). Study Design:  Scoping review protocol. Place and Duration of Study: Not applicable (Literature review protocol). Methodology: This scoping review will be conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A comprehensive search will be performed in PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and PEDro databases, supplemented by a grey literature search. Two independent reviewers will screen studies for eligibility, extract data, and chart the results. The Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework will guide eligibility: adults with unilateral TKA (Population), use of 6MWT, 2MWT, TUG, or standardized walk tests (Concept), in a post-operative. Results: This is a protocol study; no results are presented at this stage. Conclusion: The findings from this review are expected to identify the extent and nature of the evidence on functional performance tests in the unilateral TKA population. We anticipate this work will highlight variations in testing protocols, identify research gaps, and provide a foundation for standardizing assessment methods, which is essential for improving the synthesis of clinical trial data and guiding evidence-based rehabilitation practices.