With a growing number of working-age individuals receiving knee arthroplasty, optimizing return to work (RTW) has become a crucial goal for both public health and society. This paper highlights three evidence-based actions demonstrating how physical therapists (PTs) play a pivotal role in facilitating timely RTW after knee arthroplasty. This review presents a narrative synthesis of recent studies on RTW after knee arthroplasty highlighting the important role of PT’s. The studies focus on the Work, Osteoarthritis and joint-Replacement Questionnaire (WORQ), Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS), and the Back At work After Surgery (BAAS) work-integrated care pathway. The WORQ effectively identifies patients at risk for delayed RTW based on their ability to perform knee-demanding work activities. Patients with WORQ scores < 51 at 3 months post-surgery showed significantly delayed RTW compared with those scoring > 70. Incorporating GAS into rehabilitation significantly increased satisfaction with work-related activities by 11 points (95% confidence interval: 2.0–19.4) vs. usual care. The BAAS pathway— which integrates hospital, outpatient, and occupational care—resulted in full RTW 27 days earlier than usual care. One year post-surgery, 98% of BAAS patients had fully resumed work vs. 84%–87% in controls. BAAS yielded cost reductions of €4,493 (7,442,452 KRW, employer perspective) with a return on investment of 532%. This corresponds to a total cost reduction of about €69.5 million (115,123 million KRW) annually in The Netherlands. In conclusion, PTs are key drivers of successful work reintegration after knee arthroplasty. By using the WORQ for early detection of patients at risk for delayed RTW, implementing GAS to align rehabilitation with individual work goals, and participating in perioperative interdisciplinary care such as BAAS, PTs can substantially enhance RTW and reduce socioeconomic burden.

INTRODUCTION
THREE GAME-CHANGING ACTIONS FORPHYSICAL THERAPISTS
    1. Use the WORQ to Support Workers at Risk forDelayed Return to Work
    2. Goal Attainment Scaling Improves Satisfaction WithPerformance of Work-related Activities
    3. Perform Perioperative Interdisciplinary WorkintegratedCare
DISCUSSION
FUNDING
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTION
ORCID
REFERENCES

• P. Paul F.M. Kuijer(Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam) Corresponding author
• Daniël O. Strijbos(Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Department of Health Innovations, Nij Smellinghe Hospital, Drachten)
• Geert van der Sluis(Department of Health Innovations, Nij Smellinghe Hospital, Drachten, Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen, Groningen)
• Tim Boymans(Department of Orthopaedics, Maastricht UMC+, Maastricht)
• Michiel F. Reneman(Department of Rehabilitation, UMC Groningen, University of Groningen, Haren, The Netherlands)