Abstract: Objective: To investigate the early ambulation of patients with Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA). Method: A convenienced sample of 190 patients with TKA from a Beijing three-level hospital were investigated with a self-designed early ambulation questionnaire. Results: Totally 8.4% of the 190 patients ambulated within 24 hours after surgery, 54.2% within 24 to 48 hours, and 32.1% within 48 to 72 hours after surgery. The earliest time of ambulation was 7.5 hours after surgery. Most patients ambulated within 2 to 3 days after surgery. The lasted time of first ambulation was 3 to 5 minutes, the distance was 0~250 meters, the range was mainly the bedside, and the doctors were the most important assistants. The early ambulation group were with earlier catheter and wound drain removal, a higher percentage of ECG Monitoring removal within 24 hours (P=0.017, P=0.037, P=0.049), earlier first straight leg raising (P=0.01), higher level of albumin index after surgery (P=0.009, P<0.01), better rehabilitation self-efficacy and the desire to ambulate (P=0.021). Conclusion: Most patients with TKA ambulated in 2 to 3 days after surgery, the most popular activities were standing by the bed or walking on the ground.

Key words: Total Knee Arthroplasty; early ambulation; questionnaires