Objective
To determine whether 12‐month hip and knee outcomes of a regional arthroplasty clinic were comparable to results from metropolitan‐based clinics, and to explore a possible relationship between body mass index and depression to identify groups at risk of not achieving optimal outcomes.
Design
A prospective observational study.
Setting
A regional physiotherapy‐led post‐arthroplasty review clinic.
Participants
Patients after hip or knee replacement.
Interventions
Patients underwent either total hip or total knee joint arthroplasty.
Main outcome measures
SF‐12 Health Survey, Oxford Hip/Knee Scale, 10‐minute walk test, knee range of motion, body mass index and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
Results
Physical outcomes were comparable to those reported by metropolitan‐based clinics. People with a high body mass index showed most improvement in the severity of depression compared to those with a lower body mass index.
Conclusion
It is important to consider the long‐term effects of obesity on arthroplasty outcomes.