Passive and active rehabilitation for partial lacerations of the canine flexor digitorum profundus tendon in zone II

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of unrestricted active versus passive mobilization on the gliding function and structural properties (ultimate load and stiffness) of repaired and nonrepaired canine flexor digitorum profundus tendons following partial laceration at 1 week. Using a radiographic method, normalized tendon gliding of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon adjacent to the metacarpal bone and total joint rotation were shown to be significantly greater in passive than in active tendons. Each group differed from their control group, however, by an average of only 5%. Both rehabilitation (active vs passive) and treatment (repair vs nonrepaired) of the partial tendon laceration significantly affected gap formation. Both active rehabilitation and repair of the laceration significantly increased gap formation compared with passive rehabilitation and nonrepair of the partial laceration. Rehabilitation did not significantly affect the normalized ultimate loads and stiffness in the passive and active groups bur the nonrepair groups displayed significantly higher ultimate loads and stiffness than the repair groups. (J Hand Surg 1999;24A:743-750. Copyright (C) 1999 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.).