REHABILITATION OF A SURGICALLY REPAIRED RUPTURE OF THE DISTAL BICEPS TENDON IN AN ACTIVE MIDDLE AGED MALE: A CASE REPORT

Background:

Complete rupture of the distal tendon of the biceps brachii is relatively rare and there is little information to guide therapists in rehabilitation after this injury. The purposes of this case report are to review the rehabilitation concepts used for treating such an injury, and discuss how to modify exercises during rehabilitation based on patient progression while adhering to physician recommended guidelines and standard treatment protocols.

Case Presentation:

The patient was an active 38‐year old male experienced in weight‐training. He presented with a surgically repaired right distal biceps tendon following an accident on a trampoline adapted with a bungee suspension harness. The intervention focused on restoring range of motion and strengthening of the supporting muscles of the upper extremity without placing undue stress on the biceps brachii.

Outcomes:

The patient was able to progress from a moderate restriction in ROM to full AROM two weeks ahead of the physician''s post‐operative orders and initiate a re‐strengthening protocol by the eighth week of rehabilitation. At the eighth post‐operative week the patient reported no deficits in functional abilities throughout his normal daily activities with his affected upper extremity.

Discussion:

The results of this case report strengthen current knowledge regarding physical therapy treatment for a distal biceps tendon repair while at the same time providing new insights for future protocol considerations in active individuals. Most current protocols do not advocate aggressive stretching, AROM, or strengthening of a surgically repaired biceps tendon early in the rehabilitation process due to the fear of a re‐rupture. In the opinion of the authors, if full AROM can be achieved before the 6^th week of rehabilitation, initiating a slow transition into light strengthening of the biceps brachii may be possible.

Level of evidence:

4‐Single Case report     

REHABILITATION AFTER HIP ARTHROSCOPY AND LABRAL REPAIR IN A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ATHLETE

Study Design:

Case Report

Background:

Femoral acetabular impingement (FAI) has been implicated in the etiology of acetabular labral tears. The rehabilitation of younger athletes following arthroscopic surgery for FAI and labral tears is often complex and multifactorial. A paucity of evidence exists to describe the rehabilitation of younger athletes who have undergone arthroscopic hip surgery.

Case Presentation:

This case report describes a four-phase rehabilitation program for a high school football player who underwent hip arthroscopy with a labral repair and chondroplasty.

Outcomes:

The player returned to training for football 16 weeks later and at the 4 month follow-up was pain free with no signs of FAI.

Discussion:

There is little evidence regarding the rehabilitation of younger athletes who undergo arthroscopic hip surgery. This case study described a four phase rehabilitation program for a high school football player who underwent hip arthroscopy and labral repair. The patient achieved positive outcomes with a full return to athletic activity and football. The overall success of these patients depends on the appropriate surgical procedure and rehabilitation program.

Key Words:

Femoral acetabular impingement (FAI), hip, hip impingement

Level of evidence:

4-Case report     

THE ROLE OF REHABILITATION FOLLOWING AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION: A RETROSPECTIVE CHART REVIEW

Purpose/Background:

Clinical outcomes following autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) are influenced by multiple factors, including patient demographics, lesion characteristics, quality of the surgical repair, and post‐operative rehabilitation. However, it is currently unknown what specific characteristics of rehabilitation have the greatest influence on clinical outcomes following ACI. The purpose of this study was to conduct a retrospective chart review of patients undergoing ACI with the intent to describe this patient population’s demographics, clinical outcomes, and rehabilitation practices. This study aimed to assess the consistency of the documentation process relative to post‐operative rehabilitation in order to provide information and guide initiatives for improving the quality of rehabilitation practices following ACI.

Methods:

The medical records of patients treated for chondral defect(s) of the knee who subsequently underwent the ACI procedure were retrospectively reviewed. A systematic review of medical, surgical, and rehabilitation records was performed. In addition, patient‐reported outcome measures (IKDC, WOMAC, Lysholm, SF‐36) recorded pre‐operatively, and 3, 6, and 12 months post‐operatively were extracted from an existing database.

Results:

20 medical charts (35.9 ± 6.8 years; 9 male, 11 female) were systematically reviewed. The average IKDC, WOMAC, Lysholm, and SF‐36 scores all improved from baseline to 3, 6 and 12 months post‐operatively, with the greatest changes occurring at 6 and 12 months. There was inconsistent documentation relative to post‐operative rehabilitation, including CPM use, weight‐bearing progression, home‐exercise compliance, and strength progressions.

Conclusions:

Due to variations in the documentation process, the authors were unable to determine what specific components of rehabilitation influence the recovery process. In order to further understand how rehabilitation practices influence outcomes following ACI, specific components of the rehabilitation process must be consistently and systematically documented over time.

Level of Evidence:

2C     

EARLY REGENERATION DETERMINES LONG‐TERM GRAFT SITE MORPHOLOGY AND FUNCTION AFTER RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT WITH SEMITENDINOSUS‐GRACILIS AUTOGRAFT: A CASE SERIES

Purpose/Background:

The semitendinosus‐gracilis tendon autograft is often used to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament. Tendon regeneration appears to occur for most individuals in the short term, but little is known about the long‐term effects of graft harvest. The purpose of this study was to describe the effect of semitendinosis‐gracilis tendon graft harvest on muscle and tendon morphology at least five years following reconstruction in a case series.

Methods:

Magnetic resonance images were taken of the knees of three subjects at least five years following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. These subjects represented the different regeneration patterns at the time of return‐to‐sport. Muscle and tendon morphology were analyzed by calculating the volume, peak cross‐sectional area, and length of the knee flexors. Muscle and tendon morphological changes were analyzed individually, and then in combination as defined as a knee flexor group.

Results:

Muscle and tendon regeneration continued in those tendons that had begun regeneration at the time of return‐to‐sports in two subjects. There was significant additional muscle degeneration in those muscles whose tendons had not regenerated at the time of return‐to‐sports, in the remaining subject. Compensatory hypertrophy of the remaining knee flexors restored the knee flexor group to near preoperative peak cross‐sectional area and volume across the each of the three case subjects.

Conclusions:

Knee flexor morphology at the time of return‐to‐sports foreshadowed the long‐term outcome in the three studied subjects. Preservation of the tendon sheath in situ may play a role in tendon regeneration. When tendon regeneration did not occur, fatty infiltration of the muscle may be a worst‐case outcome. Semitendinosus‐gracilis muscle synergists demonstrated hypertrophy, perhaps in an effort to compensate for knee flexor group morphology deficits that existed after Semitendinosus gracilis tendon graft harvest.

Clinical Relevance:

Semitendinosus and gracilis tendon harvest technique may play a role in regeneration. Additionally, knee flexor morphology at the time of return‐to‐sports may foreshadow the long‐term outcome.

Level of Evidence:

prospective (longitudinal) cohort ‐ level II     

INJURY RISK IS ALTERED BY PREVIOUS INJURY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE AND PRESENTATION OF CAUSATIVE NEUROMUSCULAR FACTORS

Background:

Active adults commonly present with lower extremity (LE) injuries from a variety of professional and amateur sports activities. Decreased LE function significantly alters daily life and subsequent injuries increase this impact. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the association between previous injury and the risk of re‐injury, and to describe the changes in kinematics and motor programming that may contribute to this relationship.

Methods:

A preliminary search was conducted to determine the four most common LE injuries on PubMed, CINAHL and Web of Science. These injuries, in a healthy active adult population, were hamstring strain (HS), anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL), achilles tendon pathology, and ankle sprain. After these injuries were established, the search for this systematic review found evidence relating these injuries to re‐injury. Articles related to degenerative changes were excluded. Twenty‐six articles were included in the systematic review detailing the risk of re‐injury from a previous injury and were graded for quality.

Results:

ACL injury was linked to a successive injury of the same ACL, and other injuries in the LE. HS was associated with subsequent ipsilateral HS and knee injuries. Previous achilles tendon rupture increased the risk of an analogous injury on the contralateral side. An ankle sprain was associated with a re‐injury of either the ipsilateral or the contralateral ankle. Post‐injury changes were present in strength, proprioception, and kinematics, which may have led to overall changes in motor control and function.

Conclusion:

This review provides insight into the changes occurring following common LE injuries, how these changes potentially affect risk for future injury, and address the needs of the active adult population in rehabilitation.

Clinical Relevance:

Current research on previous injury and re‐injury is of high quality, but scarce quantity. Deficits following an injury are known, but how these deficits correlate or lead to re‐injury requires further exploration.

Level of Evidence:

1