Rehabilitation Programs After Achilles Tendon Rupture
- Conditions
- Rupture of Achilles TendonRupture, SpontaneousImmobility Response, Tonic
- Interventions
- Other: Traditional ImmobilizationOther: Early Mobilization
- Registration Number
- NCT02308618
- Lead Sponsor
- Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
- Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of early mobilization versus traditional immobilization rehabilitation programs after surgical Achilles tendon repair on the mechanical (torque-angle and torque-velocity relationships) and electrical (neuromuscular activation) properties of the plantar- and dorsiflexor muscles, gastrocnemius medialis morphology (muscle architecture), functional performance, and the mechanical and material properties (force-elongation and stress-strain relationships) of the injured and uninjured Achilles tendon.
The hypothesis is that the early mobilization could reduce the deleterious effects of the joint immobilization and improve the tendon healing.
- Detailed Description
Participants were allocated into one of two intervention groups (traditional immobilization or early mobilization).
Traditional immobilization group (45 days of plaster cast immobilization; after the immobilization period, subjects received instructions on how to perform a home-based exercise program)
Early mobilization (six weeks of physical therapy program; three times per week; one to two hours of exercises for regaining range of motion and muscular endurance)
Control group (subjects had no history of lower limb injury, and were matched in age and anthropometric measurements to subjects that performed physical rehabilitation and to subjects that remained immobilized.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- Male
- Target Recruitment
- 47
- Male
- Achilles tendon rupture
- arterial insufficiency
- diabetes
- autoimmune disease
- patients who used systemic antibiotics or steroids or showed any other clinical contraindication to perform maximum voluntary contractions on a dynamometer.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Traditional Immobilization Traditional Immobilization 45 days of plaster cast immobilization After the immobilization period, subjects received instructions on how to perform a home-based exercise program Early mobilization Early Mobilization Six weeks of physical therapy program
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Torque change Torque was measured 3 times during the study: three, six and more than 12 months after surgical repair. Torque is an expression of the muscular strength and was assessed by dynamometry
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Ankle range of motion change Ankle range of motion was measured 5 times during the study: 15 days, 45 days, three, six and more than 12 months after surgical repair. Ankle range of motion was assessed by goniometry during active and passive dorsiflexion and plantar flexion.
Muscular architecture change Muscle architecture was measured 4 times during the study: 45 days, three, six and more than 12 months after surgical repair. Muscular architecture (muscle thickness, pennation angle and fascicle length) was assessed by ultrasonography
Plantarflexor muscle volume change Plantarflexor muscle volume was assessed 4 times during the study: 45 days, three, six and more than 12 months after surgical repair. Plantarflexor muscle volume was estimated from calf muscle thickness and limb length using the equation proposed by Miyatani et al. 2004.
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Exercise Research Laboratory, School of Physical Education, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
🇧🇷Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil