Objectives: The effect of continuous early passive motion on morphologic and histologic healing following repair of Achilles tendon rupture was evaluated in comparison with cast immobilization.
Methods: Achilles tendons of 20 adult rabbits were repaired with the use of modified Kessler technique after surgical transection. Throughout the postoperative six weeks, the rabbits were randomly assigned to cast immobilization (n=10) and to continuous early passive motion four hours a day (n=10). All the rabbits were sacrificed at the end of six weeks and their tendon tissues were removed for macroscopic and histologic examinations.
Results: On macroscopic evaluation, findings on adhesions at the operation site, periarticular atrophy, and the ROM of the ankle joint were found significantly more favorable with continuous early passive motion than those of the control group (p