Effect of short-wave diathermy on achilles tendon healing in rats

ABSTRACT

This study was to evaluate the effect of short-wave diathermy on the healing of tenomized and repaired rat's tendoachilles. The right tendoachilles of 80 rats were tenomized and sutured with 2-0 silk. Rats were divided equally into an experimental and control groups. On the next day, the right tendoachilles of the experimental group were treated with short-wave diathermy while the right tendoachilles of the control group were mock-treated. Sittings were given every other day for 15 minutes. Half of the rats from each group [n = 20] were evaluated after 10 days of treatment, while the other half were evaluated after 20 days of treatment. After 10 days of treatment, no significant differences were demonstrated between the experimental and control group regarding peritendinous adhesions, tendon breaking strength or histological grade of healing. If treatment continuoud for 20 days, highly significant reduction of peritendinous adhesion and highly significant increase in the grades of tendon healing, were observed in the short-wave[experimental] group when compared to the mock-treated [control] group