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 properti es (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 pro fundus 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 nonrepair ed) of the partial tendon laceration significantly affected gap formation. Both active rehabilitation and repair of the laceration significantly incre ased gap formation compared with passive rehabilitation and nonrepair of th e partial laceration. Rehabilitation did not significantly affect the norma lized ultimate loads and stiffness in the passive and active groups bur the nonrepair groups displayed significantly higher ultimate loads and stiffne ss than the repair groups. (J Hand Surg 1999;24A:743-750. Copyright (C) 199 9 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.).