According to recent research results published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research, individuals who have stiffer gait walking patterns showed higher chances of second total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

The contralateral limb is linked to the altered and asymmetrical movement patterns following the unilateral TKA, which overload the contralateral joints. The present study explored the association of biomechanical factors following the unilateral TKA with future contralateral TKA.

A total of one hundred fifty-eight participants were selected and re-contacted for mean 5.89 years follow-up to evaluate if they had encountered a contralateral TKA. The participants who did and did not go through contralateral TKA at follow‐up were compared for biomechanical variables from gait at baseline using one‐way ANOVAs. The odds ratio was estimated for variables attained to be important in the ANOVA models. Participants who went through contralateral TKA had less knee extension excursion and less knee flexion excursion at baseline on the treated side during walking. Also, less knee flexion excursion on the contralateral limb at baseline was seen among the persons who went through contralateral TKA. Further, a 9.1% reduction in risk of future contralateral TKA was noticed for every additional degree of knee flexion excursion on the contralateral knee at baseline.