title: Thompson calf squeezing test: clinical and ultrasound correlations in the follow up of Achille's tenorraphy.
abstract: In the follow up of Achille's tenorraphy, negativization of Thompson calf queezing test is not always omogeneous and absolute. Aim of the paper is to correlate Thompson test to different anatomical-ultrasound and functional parameters. We investigated clinically and by ultrasound 61 patients operated on of Achille's tenorraphy at Novara Hospital with follow-up of 10 to 46 months. Negative controls were contralateral tendons. We excluded patients with previous and/or contralateral Achille's tendon ruptures, those operated after 7 days, diabetics or with autoimmune diseases, if used topic steroids, < 18 years, those rejecting the study. Measured parameters were: age, gender, height, weight, side, open vs percutaneous approach, time from operation, neutral angle and range of motion of the ankle, maximal circumference of the leg, Single Heel Rise Test, Visual-Analogue-Scale Foot and Ankle (VAS FA) score; with ultrasound: length of tendons, mio-tendinous U.S.-structure, dynamic diastasis of tendon scar, tendon sliding. Thompson test is positive if no plantar-flexion of the foot occurs at calf squeezing, negative if plantar-flexion is normal (75% patients) and intermediate if reduced or slight reactive (25%).We found correlation of Thompson test with age (p<0,05) and with tendon length (p>0,05), being intermediate tests more represented in older patients and in those with longer healed tendons. In conclusion post-operative negativization of Thompson test can be incomplete as observed in older patients and in those healed with elongated tendon.
authors.affiliation: S.C. Ortopedia e Traumatologia. maxleigheb@libero.it.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leigheb
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zorzolo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carriero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grassi
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000842:Ankle; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome