Total knee replacement is one of the most common and most successful surgical procedures in orthopaedics. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people have the operation, hoping to walk without pain again, get back to gardening, playing with grandchildren, or simply climbing the stairs without wincing.
But behind every successful outcome is a long chain of people and decisions: the surgeon who performs the operation, the nurse who manages recovery on the ward, the physiotherapist who guides rehabilitation, and the many allied professionals who quietly keep the whole pathway moving. Each of them sees a different piece of the puzzle — and each perspective matters.
That’s the gap this research is trying to close. Most studies on TKA care focus on clinical outcomes: pain scores, mobility, complication rates. Far fewer ask the people delivering that care what they think is working well, what gets in the way, and how the process differs across health systems and countries. If we want to genuinely improve knee replacement pathways, we need to understand it from the inside- from the professionals who live it every day.
That’s why we are running a study exploring healthcare professionals’ perspectives on the structure, processes, and outcomes of total knee replacement (TKA) care across different health service systems. It’s a collaborative project between Ulster University, University College Cork, University of Birmingham, and Thomas Jefferson University, bringing together perspectives from multiple countries and care settings to build a fuller picture of what TKA care looks like on the ground and where it could be improved.
If you work in this space, your experience is exactly the kind of insight this study needs.
Are you eligible to take part?
You’re eligible if you’re a health and social care professional involved in the care of patients undergoing knee replacement, including (but not limited to):
- Orthopaedic surgeons
- Physiotherapists or rehabilitation professionals
- Nurses involved in perioperative or orthopaedic care
- Researchers involved in joint replacement
- Other allied healthcare professionals involved in managing knee replacement patients
What’s involved?
- Complete a short online survey sharing your perspectives and experiences related to TKA care delivery.
- At the end of the survey, you’ll have the option to volunteer for a follow-up online interview to share your views in more depth.
- The interview is completely optional — the survey alone is a great contribution.
The survey is designed to be quick and straightforward to fit into a busy clinical schedule, but every response adds real weight to the findings. The more perspectives we gather across roles, specialities, and health systems, the clearer the picture becomes, and the stronger the case for change where change is needed.
How to take part
👉 Click here to complete the survey
Or use the link and QR code on the study poster below:
This study is approved by the Ulster University Ethics Filter Committee.
Questions?
Feel free to get in touch:
Ammar Suhail PhD Researcher | suhail-A@ulster.ac.uk
If you know a colleague who fits the eligibility criteria, please consider sharing this post or the survey link with them — every response helps build a fuller picture of TKA care across health systems.
Research in Motion 
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