Recovery of calf muscle endurance 3 months after an Achilles tendon rupture.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate calf muscle endurance in a seated position 3 months after an Achilles tendon rupture and to evaluate how the ability to perform standardized seated heel-rises correlated to the single-leg standing heel-rise test and to patient-reported symptoms evaluated with the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS) 3 and 6 months after the injury. Ninety-three patients were included from a cohort of 101 patients participating in a prospective, randomized controlled trial comparing surgical and nonsurgical treatment after Achilles tendon rupture. Forty-seven patients were treated surgically and 46 nonsurgically. Ninety-one patients out of 93 (98%) could perform the standardized seated heel-rises. At the 3-month follow-up, there was a significant difference (P < 0.001) between the injured and the healthy side performing standardized seated heel-rises. There were also significant correlations (r = 0.29-0.37, P = < 0.05) between the standardized seated heel-rises and ATRS 3 and 6 months after injury in the group who could not perform single-leg standing heel-rises. There were no significant differences between the surgical and nonsurgical treatment groups. The evaluation of standardized seated heel-rises appears to be a useful tool to quantify progress and predict future functional performance and patient-reported symptoms.
Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.|IFK Kliniken Rehab, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Brorsson
Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Orthocenter IFK-Kliniken, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
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Olsson
Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Hallands sjukhus, Kungsbacka, Sweden.
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Nilsson-Helander
Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
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Karlsson
Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
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Eriksson
Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA.
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Silbernagel
D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000293:injuries*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D010807:Physical Endurance; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012421:Rupture / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS); clinical test, early exercise; functional performance