
Sports Medicine
Achilles tendon repair: Recovery rate improved with early weightbearing
This report has been verified
by one or more authors of the
original publication.
Am J Sports Med. 2015 Apr;43(4):1008-16
9 studies (6 randomized controlled trials (RCT) and 3 quasi-randomized trials) with a total of 402 patients were included in this analysis to identify and analyze postoperative rehabilitation methods following Achilles tendon (AT) repair. Two early postoperative function rehabilitation regimens (within 2 weeks after AT repair) were compared to immobilization after AT repair: early weightbearing with an ankle motion exercise regimen, and isolated early ankle motion exercises without early weightbearing. Pooled results demonstrated that early ankle motion with early weightbearing offered significantly superior outcome in terms of functional recovery, and a lower rate of minor complications, compared to immobilization. No significance was found in rerupture rates or major complication rates between the two groups. Significant differences between isolated ankle motion (without early weightbearing) and immobilization were limited to shorter return to sport and lesser tendon elongation over 1 year postoperatively.
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