The effect of fall prevention education on fear of falling in patients with scheduled total knee arthroplasty: a quasi-experimental study

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of fall prevention education given to patients with scheduled total knee arthroplasty (TKA) on their fear of falling in the postoperative period. The study had a quasi-experimental design. The study sample included 70 patients. Data were gathered with a patient characteristics form and the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) at face to face interviews. The intervention group was given a brochure and face-to-face education about fall prevention before surgery. Activities such as the first mobilization, assisted walking, climbing stairs, getting out of bed and sitting in bed after the surgery were demonstrated and performed. Patients were followed up to 16 weeks after surgery. The mean age of the control and intervention groups, respectively; 62.26 ± 6.38 and 59.46 ± 7.33. The fear of falling scores before the operation and in the postoperative 6th-8th weeks were high in the intervention group (40.17 ± 8.32 and 31.71 ± 7.83 respectively) and the control group (44.14 ± 8.86 and 40.91 ± 8.43 respectively). The fear of falling scores in the postoperative 14th-16th weeks were high in the control group (37.2 ± 9.03) and moderate in the intervention group (26.42 ± 5.59). The scores for FES-I in the 6th-8th weeks and 14th-16th weeks after surgery were very significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group(p < .001). The results of the study showed that the patients experienced a great fear of falling before and after surgery. It can be said that the education given reduces the fear of falling significantly and in the early period.