App- and wearable-supported recovery after arthroplasty: nurse-led conceptual vignette

Patients undergoing joint replacement often struggle with preparation and rehabilitation. Anxiety, uncertainty and fragmented transitions blunt recovery gains. At the same time, health services are moving suitable procedures to day-case pathways and community-based follow-up, increasing the need for safe, effective support at home. This narrative article proposes a nurse-led approach that combines a mobile application, delivering short, accessible education, daily reminders and checklists, and secure in-app messaging, with wearable devices that provide continuous information on physiological parameters and physical activity after discharge. This fictional vignette illustrates how a nurse-led app and wearable pathway can guide prehabilitation, support mobilisation and provide timely escalation after discharge. Contemporary guidance stresses the importance of patient information, early mobilisation and timely rehabilitation across the perioperative pathway, while emerging evidence suggests that remote rehabilitation can improve short-term functional outcomes after total knee arthroplasty and that continuous wearable monitoring may identify clinical deterioration earlier than intermittent checks. We offer a practical implementation blueprint (co-design, induction with teach-back, explicit escalation rules and equity safeguards) and outline governance aligned with United Kingdom frameworks. The discussion provides evidence in support of app and wearable pathways improving adherence and continuity of care around arthroplasty in a way that is safe, equitable and practical. We end with evidence on service evaluation and relevant pragmatic trials.