ArticleOrthopaedic journal of sports medicine2020
Does Early Functional Mobilization Affect Long-Term Outcomes After an Achilles Tendon Rupture? A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Article in Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Effects of Direct Functional Mobilization After Achilles Tendon Rupture on Healing and Outcome
Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture - Intervention With Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Surgical management of chronic Achilles tendon rupture: evidence-based guidelines.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2024Pooled it
- Randomised three-armed trial investigation of the Copenhagen Achilles tendon Rupture Treatment Algorithm (CARTA) for individualised treatment of acute Achilles tendon rupture.British journal of sports medicine · 2026Trial
- Outcomes of early versus late functional weight-bearing after the acute Achilles tendon rupture repair with minimally invasive surgery: a randomized controlled trial.Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery · 2023Trial
- Suspected Achilles Tendon Ruptures and the Course of Action: Assessing Compliance With Local Protocols.Cureus · 2025Article
- Patient characteristics, postoperative protocols, and surgical outcomes in Haglund's resection: a single-institution retrospective cohort study.Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery · 2025Article
- Novel tissue biomarker candidates to predict both deep venous thrombosis and healing outcome after Achilles tendon rupture.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Rehabilitation and Return to Sports after Achilles Tendon Repair.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2024Article
- Early Tendon Morphology as a Biomarker of Long-term Patient Outcomes After Surgical Repair of Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Prospective Cohort Study.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2023Article
- Foot and Ankle Outcome Instruments: Missing the Target.Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine · 2023Review
- The Safety and Effectiveness of Early, Progressive Weight Bearing and Implant Choice after Traumatic Lower Extremity Fracture: A Systematic Review.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- Fast Functional Rehabilitation Protocol versus Plaster Cast Immobilization Protocol after Achilles Tendon Tenorrhaphy: Is It Different? Clinical, Ultrasonographic, and Elastographic Comparison.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Effect of Surgeon Experience on Long-Term Patient Outcomes in Surgical Repair of Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture.Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine · 2022Article
- Persistent Deficits after an Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Narrative Review.Translational sports medicine · 2022Review
- The heel-rise work test overestimates the performed work with 21-25% after an Achilles tendon rupture.Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA · 2021Article
- FGF gene expression in injured tendons as a prognostic biomarker of 1-year patient outcome after Achilles tendon repair.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2021Article
- Achilles Tendon Rupture: Mechanisms of Injury, Principles of Rehabilitation and Return to Play.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2020Review
- Wireless Suture Button Accessory Sensor for Intra- and Post-Operative Monitoring of Suture Loading in Soft Tissue Reconstruction.Journal of orthopaedic experience & innovationArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFunctional deficits and health-related impairments are common after an Achilles tendon rupture (ATR). Rehabilitation protocols vary greatly, and few studies have allowed loading in combination with ankle motion immediately after surgery (ie, early functional mobilization [EFM]). It is unclear whether EFM may counteract the negative impact of ankle immobilization after an ATR. PURPOSE: The primary aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of EFM compared with standard treatment (ie, 2 weeks of unloading in a plaster cast followed by 4 weeks of weightbearing in an orthosis) regarding patient-reported and functional outcomes in patients with an ATR after acute operative repair. The secondary aim was to explore whether the occurrence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) during the 2 postoperative treatments affected outcomes. STUDY
designRandomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.
methodsA total of 135 patients who underwent ATR repair, randomized to either EFM, including immediate postoperative loading and ankle motion, or standard treatment, were evaluated with functional tests and 5 self-administered outcome questionnaires at 6 and 12 months postoperatively.
resultsAt 6 months, the EFM group scored higher on the RAND 36-Item Health Survey (RAND-36) questionnaire subscales of general health and vitality (
conclusionThis study demonstrated that an accelerated postoperative protocol with immediate loading and ankle motion resulted in better general health and vitality at 6 months. However, there were no differences between the groups in the recovery of heel-rise function. Future studies should focus on the means to reduce the risk of DVT to improve patient outcomes after ATR. REGISTRATION: NCT02318472 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.