[Rehabilitation following primary repair of flexor tendons in adults]. / Rééducation après réparation primaire des tendons fléchisseurs des doigts chez l'adulte.

ABSTRACT

Rehabilitation after primary repair of flexor tendons, particularly in the early phase, has changed due to more solid suture repairs. The objectives of this article are to outline the general principles surrounding this rehabilitation, set out the indications for various early mobilization techniques and describe in detail the physiotherapy protocol used by the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department of the Regional Institute of Rehabilitation in collaboration with the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department of the Émile-Gallé Surgical Center in Nancy, France. This protocol is mainly used for adult patients and carried out in four stages over a 12-week period. If there are no contraindications, the patient learns protected early active self-rehabilitation during the first four postoperative weeks. The protocol includes standardized multidisciplinary follow-up until the social and occupational rehabilitation phase to ensure the best chance of functional recovery.