title: EMG monitoring during functional non-surgical therapy of Achilles tendon rupture.
abstract: After surgical therapy of Achilles tendon rupture, neuromuscular changes may persist, even one year after surgery. We were interested whether these changes are also evident following a non-surgical functional therapy (Variostabil therapy boot/Adidas). Twenty-one patients with complete Achilles tendon rupture were enrolled in the study (mean age 38.5 years, range 24 to 60; 18 men, three women) and followed-up clinically and with surface EMG of the gastrocnemius muscles after four, eight, 12 weeks, and one year after rupture. EMG differences between the affected and non-affected side could only be observed at baseline and after four weeks following Achilles tendon rupture. The results from our study show that EMG changes are not found following non-surgical functional therapy.
authors.affiliation: Medical School of Hannover Germany, Dept. of Traumatology and Surgery.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hüfner
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wohifarth
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thermann
authors.forename: Jens D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Rollnik
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000293:injuries*; D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D012421:Rupture; D012775:Shoes; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000628:therapy