ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the effect of individualized and quantified rehabilitation exercise after te-nosuture of the digital flexor tendon. Methods One hundred and eighty cases of digital flexor tendon tenosuture were randomly divided into a quantification group and a control group. For the quantification group, the maximal ten-sile strength against rupture (Fmax) was measured during the operation. After splinting, the length of an elastic bandwas measured when there was a 2 mm clearance between the 2 ends of the sutured tendon, and the protective device was then fixed with all its parameters unchanged in the whole study. For the control group, Fmax was not measured and there was no protective device during training. Both groups were subdivided into subgroups A and B according to the daily training frequency. Training frequencies of 3 or 6 times per day were applied to the two subgroups. Results After 3 months of rehabilitation treatment, there was no re-rupture in the quantification group, but 6 cases of re-rup-ture occurred in the control group. 91% of the eases in the quantification group were evaluated as excellent or good, while in the control group 80% of the cases were evaluated as excellent or good. Clinical efficacy was significantly better in the quantification subgroup receiving 6 treatments per day than in any other subgroup. Conclusions Indi-vidualized and quantified rehabilitation exercise can prevent tendon re-rupture after tenosuture. 6 sessions of training per day may be better than 3 sessions per day.