Rehabilitation protocol after Achilles tendon reconstruction with an autologous hamstring graft.
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1
physiotherapy, Rehasport Clinic, Poland
2
orthopaedic, Rehasport Clinic, Poland
3
netherlands, Department of Orthopedic Surgery of the Academic Medical Center, Netherlands
Submission date: 2021-08-10
Final revision date: 2021-09-01
Acceptance date: 2021-09-01
Publication date: 2025-11-26
Issue Rehabil. Orthop. Neurophysiol. Sport Promot. 2021;37
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ABSTRACT
This study aims to present a rehabilitation protocol after Achilles tendon reconstruction using the tendon of semitendinosus and gracilis muscle.
The presented rehabilitation program lasts about 12 months and is divided into six stages. Stage I consists of standing up, anticoagulant exercises, isometric exercises. Stage II, lasting up to 2 weeks after the procedure, consists of independent work in the home environment. Stage III, lasting up to 4 weeks, involves learning to walk and putting weight on the limb in a cam Walker. In the third stage, after the postoperative wounds have healed, exercises in water are started. Stage IV, lasting from 4 weeks after the operation, consists of withdrawing the orthosis, putting a load on the limb with the heel pads, increasing the range of dorsiflexion motion, and gradually strengthening the muscles. Stage V, which lasts 8-12 months after surgery, eliminates functional deficits and prepares the patient for a functional biomechanical assessment. Stage VI is the work on the compensation of deficits resulting from the analysis of the results of the functional biomechanical assessment necessary to return to the total sports activity.
The rehabilitation protocol presented by our team describes the stages of postoperative rehabilitation after Achilles tendon reconstruction with the hamstring graft. The protocol provides the conditions necessary to be met by the patient before: starting the next phase of rehabilitation and returning to sport. Our requirements are in line with the assumptions available in the research base.