Patellar tendon repair: postoperative treatment

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Sports medicine
• Rehabilitation science

Background:

• Patellar tendon repair is a common surgical procedure.
• Postoperative rehabilitation protocols vary, with differing timelines for mobilization.
• Optimizing recovery and functional outcomes after patellar tendon repair is crucial for patient return to activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical and functional outcomes of patellar tendon repair following early versus delayed postoperative mobilization.

Main Methods:

• A before-after trial design was used, comparing two treatment groups.
• Ten male patients undergoing patellar tendon repair were included.
• The delayed mobilization group (n=5) had 6 weeks of non-weight-bearing with isometric exercises, followed by active range of motion. The early mobilization group (n=5) had 6 weeks of weight-bearing in an extension brace with isometric exercises, prone active knee flexion, and passive knee extension, followed by active range of motion. A minimum 16-month follow-up was conducted.

Main Results:

• Clinical findings: Delayed group had 2 excellent, 1 good, 2 fair results. Early group had 1 excellent, 3 good, 1 fair results.
• Functional findings: Delayed group had 2 good, 2 fair, 1 poor results. Early group had 3 good, 1 fair, 1 poor results.
• Both clinical and functional outcomes were comparable between the early and delayed mobilization groups.

Conclusions:

• Early and delayed postoperative mobilization yield similar clinical and functional results after patellar tendon repair.
• Further investigation is warranted to ascertain any significant long-term differences between these rehabilitation strategies.