Research

Return to Sport After Joint Replacement

Advancing Active Lifestyles After Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

One of the most common questions patients ask after hip or knee replacement is: “Will I be able to get back to the activities I love?” Dr. Arshi has helped answer this question through a series of influential studies published in leading orthopedic journals. His work is widely cited and frequently presented at national and international meetings, establishing him as a recognized authority on return to sport and physical activity after joint replacement surgery.

Dr. Arshi’s research program evaluates the safety, biomechanics, and patient-reported outcomes of returning to sport following hip and knee replacement, with a focus on evidence-based counseling and long-term implant performance.

Research Focus

• Define realistic sport participation parameters after total hip, total knee, unicompartmental, and patellofemoral arthroplasty.
• Quantify revision and complication risks associated with varying sport impact levels.
• Identify demographic and socioeconomic predictors of successful return to activity.
• Translate findings into clinical guidance for individualized pre- and postoperative counseling.

Key Findings

• Most patients safely resume low- and moderate-impact activities (cycling, swimming, golf) within 3-12 months post-surgery.
• High-impact sports (running, singles tennis, basketball) remain associated with increased wear and revision risk, though emerging evidence supports selective participation by motivated patients with appropriate counseling.
• Return to sports rate are significantly higher among patients undergoing partial (unicompartmental) in comparison to total knee replacement
• Community and socioeconomic factors influence return-to-sport rates, emphasizing the importance of equitable access to rehabilitation resources.
• Robotic and kinematic alignment techniques, as well as implant design optimization, may enhance function and confidence in athletic populations.

Recommended Activities Following Total Joint Arthroplasty

(Adapted from Arshi A, Hughes AJ, Robin JX, Parvizi J, Fillingham YA. Return to sport after hip and knee arthroplasty: counseling the patient on resuming an active lifestyle. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2023; 16(8): 329–337.)

Generally Recommended (Low-Impact Sports)	Recommended with Experience (Intermediate-Impact Sports)	Generally Not Recommended (High-Impact Sports)
Golf	Doubles tennis	Running / jogging
Swimming	Stair climber	Basketball
Walking	Hiking	Soccer
Treadmill	Downhill skiing	Baseball / softball
Stationary bicycle	Snowboarding	Racquetball / squash
Elliptical machine	Weightlifting	Martial arts
Cycling	Ice skating / roller blading	Volleyball
Rowing	Aerobics	American football
Dancing	Horseback riding	Rugby
Pilates	Singles tennis
Stationary skiing
Water aerobics
Bowling
Table tennis

These recommendations reflect consensus guidelines balancing implant longevity, joint loading, and functional goals. Individualized counseling remains essential.

Representative Publications

1. Cardillo C, Katzman JL, Connolly P, Schichman I, Murtaza H, Schwarzkopf R, Rozell JC, Arshi A.
   What sports are safe following total joint arthroplasty? An analysis of revision rates at a mean 5-year follow-up. J Arthroplasty. 2025 [E-pub ahead of print]. PMID: 40541851
2. Cozzarelli NF, Khan IA, Arshi A, Sherman MB, Fillingham YA.
   Total joint arthroplasty patients from distressed communities return to sports and physical activities at lower rates. J Arthroplasty. 2025; 40(8): 1972–1978. PMID: 39880054
3. Lawrence KW, Bloom DA, Rajahraman V, Cardillo C, Schwarzkopf R, Rozell JC, Arshi A.
   Return to athletics after total knee arthroplasty: a survey study of 784 recreational athletes across 12 sports. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2024; 144(9): 4115–4124. PMID: 38777908
4. Cozzarelli NF, Khan IA, Arshi A, Sherman MB, Lonner JH, Fillingham YA.
   Return to sport after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and patellofemoral arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2024; 39(8): 1988–1995. PMID: 38367903
5. Arshi A, Hughes AJ, Robin JX, Parvizi J, Fillingham YA.
   Return to sport after hip and knee arthroplasty: counseling the patient on resuming an active lifestyle. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2023; 16(8): 329–337. PMID: 37160556
6. Arshi A, Khan IA, Ciesielka KA, Cozzarelli NF, Fillingham YA.
   Participation in sports and physical activities after total joint arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2023; 38(5): 806–814. PMID: 36470366

Clinical Application

Findings from this body of work directly inform Dr. Arshi’s approach to pre-operative counseling, implant selection, and post-operative rehabilitation. Patients receive individualized guidance that integrates evidence-based sport safety data with personal goals for mobility and performance.

Full Publication List

For a complete and up-to-date list of Dr. Arshi’s publications, please visit his PubMed profile here.

Explore More Research

Dr. Arshi’s work on return to sport is just one aspect of his broader research portfolio in hip and knee replacement surgery.
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