Abstract
BACKGROUND: Guided imagery (GI) has been recommended as a mind-body therapy for pain relief following orthopaedic surgery, but little is known about the acceptability of the intervention. PURPOSE: Describe the perceptions of patients undergoing total knee replacement (TKR) surgery regarding the acceptability of a customized GI intervention to promote TKR outcomes. METHODS: Narrative and survey data collected during a randomized controlled trial of the GI intervention were analyzed to assess the acceptability of the intervention. RESULTS: Most participants were satisfied with and actively engaged in the intervention, and they perceived it to be helpful. For the smaller group of participants who did not find the intervention to be acceptable, reasons for dissatisfaction and barriers to engagement were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Guided imagery is an acceptable intervention for many persons undergoing TKR surgery. The results of this study can provide information to further develop a targeted and customized GI intervention for this population.