RESUMO
The rehabilitation of patients after upper limb injuries is becoming increasingly relevant in current medical practice considering that this pathology is often occurred in professional athletes, elderly people, people with active lifestyle. OBJECTIVE: To study the effectiveness of isolated therapeutic exercises (TE) with eccentric muscle loads when using rubber cable compared to traditional TE to restore functional capabilities of patients after upper limb injuries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 38 patients with upper limb injuries diagnosed by orthopedic surgeon. Patients were randomly enrolled into group of isolated TE with eccentric muscle loads (group A, 20 patients, mean age 40.2±10.8 years) and group of traditional exercises (group B, 18 patients, mean age 38.6±12.3 years). The study consisted of anamnesis taking, clinical examination, functional tests applying (isometric dynamometry, joint mobility tests, functional scales and questionnaires). The rehabilitation effectiveness was assessed by comparing the indicators before and after treatment course. RESULTS: There has been a significant improvement in muscle strength, movement amplitude and decrease of pain syndrome in patients rehabilitated by eccentric muscle loads. A comparison with a control group using traditional TE methods confirmed the superiority of eccentric exercises in reducing recovery time and improving functional performance. CONCLUSION: The study confirmed the high effectiveness of eccentric muscular loads in the rehabilitation of patients after upper limb injuries. The method has shown significant improvement in clinical and functional indices, which allows to recommend it for inclusion in standard rehabilitation protocols. Further researches may extend application of this approach and reveal the TE effectiveness in other types of traumas and orthopedic injuries.