title: Weight bearing the same day versus non-weight bearing for 4 weeks in Achilles tendon rupture.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) often occurs in 40- to 50-year-old men. Multiple studies discuss the correct treatment strategy based on surgical or nonsurgical intervention, including early mobilization. We aimed to compare the outcomes of bearing weight on the same day with non-weight bearing over a 4-week period of ATR patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven ATR patients were conservatively treated and entered into our study. Group 1 consisted of 23 patients treated with partial weight bearing beginning the same day of conservative treatment; Group 2 consisted of 24 patients treated with non-weight bearing after a 4-week period. Patients were at least 18 years old and were followed for 12 months. Evaluation criteria were mechanism of injury, admission time to our clinic, complication rate, and time to return to work. Symptoms and physical activity levels of all patients were assessed on 6 and 12 months after treatment began, according to the Achilles Tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS), Physical Activity Scale (PAS), and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rerupture rates were rate 17.4% (4 patients) in Group 1 and 12.5% (3 patients) in Group 2 (p = 0.81). Time to return to work was shorter in Group 1 compared with Group 2, but it was not statistically significant (p = 0.86). AOFAS, ATRS, and PAS scores at 6 and 12 months showed no significant differences between groups (p = 0.69, p = 0.59, p = 0.89, p = 0.77, p = 0.94, p = 0.66, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that a well-conducted early-weight-bearing treatment has good clinical outcomes, with a complication rate no higher than non-weight-bearing treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey, doktormuratkorkmaz@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.forename: Mustafa Fatih
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Erkoc
authors.forename: Sadiye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yolcu
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Balbaloglu
authors.forename: Zekeriya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Öztemur
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karaaslan
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000293:injuries*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012421:Rupture; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016474:Weight-Bearing