Measuring Recovery After Arthroplasty: Optimal Tools and Timing of Outcome Assessment

Dear Colleagues,

Accurately assessing recovery after arthroplasty depends not only on selecting the most appropriate outcome measures but also on identifying the optimal time points for their evaluation. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), clinician-reported outcomes, and objective functional tests each provide valuable but distinct insights into recovery trajectories. However, variation in the timing of assessment across studies and registries complicates interpretation and comparison of results. Evidence suggests that many PROMs peak within the first postoperative year, after which further improvement is minimal and loss to follow-up increases. The increasing loss to follow-up is associated with diminishing clinical value. Establishing consensus on the best instruments, those that are valid, responsive, and free from ceiling effects, is therefore essential to enable more accurate benchmarking of surgical success.

Dr. Nicholas David Clement
Guest Editor

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