This study reports the treatment of divided flexor pollicis longus (FPL) tendons from 1989 to 1998. The first 30 patients, in whom the tendon was repaired with a Kessler suture and simple epitendinous suture and mobilized using early active motion with only the thumb splinted, achieved 70/73% (White/Buck-Gramcko assessments respectively), excellent or good results and a rupture rate of 17%. The next 39 patients underwent the same treatment but in a splint with the thumb position altered and the fingers also splinted, with 67/72% excellent or good results and a rupture rate of 15%. The next 49 patients underwent repair with a Kessler suture and a reinforced epitendinous suture and the same mobilization as group 2, with 76/80% excellent or good results and a rupture rate of 8%. The final combination of repair and early active mobilization for primary repair of FPL tendons compares favourably with previous methods of treatment.