NNUH physiotherapists and orthopaedic team join new research study

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) has become the first in the country to enrol patients on to the PEP-TALK trial, which aims to help patients to be more active following surgery and improve quality of life.

The orthopaedic research team and physiotherapists at the NNUH have joined the new research study to provide more support to patients who have received hip or knee replacements. The hospital has signed up the first eight patients to the PEP-TALK trial, which is being coordinated by the University of Oxford.

More than 206,000 hip and knee replacements were carried out in the UK last year. However, many patients are missing out on the health benefits that joint replacement can offer because they are no more active than before their operation, which is what the trial aims to address.

Lewis Weatherburn and Helena Daniell from the NNUH physiotherapy team

Helena Daniell, practice development and research lead in physiotherapy at NNUH, said: “We are really pleased to be involved in this trial, which will hopefully lead to us being involved in more research in the future.

It can be difficult to be physically active because of pain and health beliefs and sometimes people do not think they can go back to exercise after a hip or knee replacement, however it is possible to go back to doing every day activities such as walking the dog or doing housework and gardening. The aim is to help empower patients involved in the trial and for them to get to know their ability and limitations.”

Patients who currently have a total hip replacement at the NNUH see a physiotherapist on the ward who give them some basic exercises to do at home and have a follow-up with an orthopaedic consultant. All patients who have a total knee replacement are seen on the ward by a physiotherapist and given exercises, and are then followed up by an outpatient physiotherapist.

As part of the PEP Talk Trial, half of the patients will take part in six weekly exercise classes. The other half will do the same exercise regime, but will also have a PEP talk, which is a group based discussion led by a physiotherapist and addresses beliefs about their ability to function and physical activity levels after a hip or knee replacement. The programme includes range of movement and strengthening exercises, step work and balance work and does not require any expensive gym equipment.

They will be followed up with a questionnaire at six months and 12 months later to find out about their quality of life and activity levels.