(P 94) EFFECT OF POSTOPERATIVE PHYSICAL THERAPY ON FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES FOLLOWING MUSCULOSKELETAL TUMOR RESECTION

Objective: Musculoskeletal tumor resections frequently lead to significant postoperative functional impairment. While physical therapy (PT) is widely implemented in general orthopedics, its use in orthopedic oncology remains inconsistent. This study evaluated whether postoperative PT referral improves longitudinal recovery in adults undergoing primary bone or soft tissue tumor resection using Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) domains.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients (≥18 years) who underwent tumor resection from September 2022 to February 2024. PROMIS domains of Physical Function (PF), Global Physical Health (GPH), and Pain Interference (PI), were collected at baseline and at 1, 2, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Outcomes were compared by PT referral status and tumor type (benign vs. malignant; bone vs. soft tissue).

Results: Of 264 patients (mean age 54.2 years, 53.1% female), 70.7% received PT referrals. PT patients started with significantly lower PF but demonstrated improvements over time. By one year, PF improved by +4.15 in PT vs. -1.28 in non-PT patients. PT was associated with greater gains in GPH and reductions in PI. In benign bone tumors, PT patients surpassed non-PT peers in PF at one year (53.9 vs. 40.8, pinteraction = 0.047). Pain and general health similarly improved in PT groups across subtypes, with the most changes between 2 and 6 months.

Conclusion: Postoperative PT significantly improved PROMIS outcomes across subgroups supporting its broader integration into musculoskeletal tumor care.

Table I. Mean PROM Scores by PT Referral Status