effect of physical activity on tendon healing

ABSTRACT

It has been documented that normal tendons and ligaments are responsive to changes in mechanical stimuli, but there is little experimental data showing the effect of mild physical activity or restricted exercise on the treatment of tendon or ligament injuries. As such, the effect of free exercise, cage confinement and external fixation on healing of a standard induced tendon injury in the superficial distal flexor tendon of the rabbit were evaluated by light and electron microscopy. The lesions in the exercise group were well organized and showed a greater degree of crimp formation at the histological level The tenoblasts were more mature and the inflammatory cells were fewer in the lesions. Whereas the animals with cage confinement and external fixation exhibited a disorganized arrangement of collagen fibrils with a large population of active tenoblasts and inflammatory cells. Electron microscopic quantification showed mean fibril diameter higher in the exercised group as compared to others. Mobilization in the early stage following tendon injury might accelerate wound healing and thus he advised in management of tendon injuries