Purpose: Traditional treatment of surgically repaired Achilles tendons includes complete immobilization of the joint in rigid casts for 6 to 8 wk. We tested the use of functional polyurethane casts as an alternative to rigid plaster casts after experimental tenotomy and repair of the rabbit Achilles tendon.
Methods: After repair the limbs of 15 experimental rabbits were immobilized in a functional polyurethane cast for 15 d, while those of 14 controls were immobilized in traditional rigid plaster casts for the same period.
Results: Functional casting resulted in a 60% increase in total collagen in the neotendon compared with that in rigid casting (P < 0.05). Mature collagen cross-links declined 8% in the tendons with functional casts. The biomechanical parameters of the tendons changed with functional casting, showing a 20% increase in maximum load and 21% increase in maximum stress.
Conclusions: These changes were noted without any cases of tendon re-rupture in either type of cast. Thus, functional casting following surgery of Achilles tendons appears to improve healing without significant risks of re-rupture.